REZANOV 


By 

GERTRUDE  ATHERTON 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  WATER-COLORS 

Copyright,  1906,  by  Gertrude  Atherton 


COMPLIMENTARY    EDITION. 


>I3v 

f^      Of   THE  X 

I    UNIVERSITY   I 

V\  OF  /> 


NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 

THE  AUTHORS  AND  NEWSPAPERS  ASSOCIATION 

1906 


Y  i  v          / 

COPYRIGHT,  1906,  BY 
GERTRUDE   ATHERTON. 

Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall. 
All  rights  reserved. 


Composition  and  Electrotyping  by 

J.  J.  Little  &  Co. 

Printed  and  bound  by  the 

Manhattan  Press,  New  York. 


A  / 


TO 

DELFINA  DE  LA   GUERRA  Y  MORENO, 
A  FRIEND  WHOM  I  GREATLY  ADMIRE. 


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THE  AUTHORS  AND  NEWSPAPERS  ASSOCIATION 


^ANOV 


>E  ATHERTON 


REZANOV 

GERTRUDE 
ATHERTON 


REZANOV 


GERTRUDE  ATHERTON 


It 


11 


"But  it  cannot  be!     Surely,  Excellency,  you  realize  that?" 
Page  187. 


(FACSIMILE  PAGE  OF  MANUSCRIPT  FROM  RULERS  OF  KINGS) 


01 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


REZANOV 


As  the  little  ship  that  had  three  times  raced 
with  death  sailed  past  the  majestic  headlands  and 
into  the  straits  of  San  Francisco  on  that  brilliant 
April  morning  of  1806,  Rezanov  forgot  the  bitter 
humiliations,  the  mental  and  physical  torments, 
the  deprivations  and  dangers  of  the  past  three 
years ;  forgot  those  harrowing  months  in  the  har 
bor  of  Nagasaki  when  the  Russian  bear  had  caged 
his  tail  in  the  presence  of  eyes  aslant;  his  dis 
may  at  Kamchatka  when  he  had  been  forced  to 
send  home  another  to  vindicate  his  failure,  and 
to  remain  in  the  Tsar's  incontiguous  and  bar 
barous  northeastern  possessions  as  representa 
tive  of  his  Imperial  Majesty,  and  plenipotentiary 
of  the  Company  his  own  genius  had  created ;  for 
got  the  year  of  loneliness  and  hardship — and  peril 
in  whose  jaws  the  bravest  was  impotent;  forgot 
even  his  pitiable  crew,  diseased  when  he  left 
Sitka,  who  had  filled  the  Juno  with  their  groans 


6  EEZANOV 

and  laments;  and  the  bells  of  youth,  long  still, 
rang  in  his  soul  once  more. 

11  It  is  the  spring  in  California,"  he  thought 
with  a  sigh,  that  curled  at  the  edge.  ' '  However ; ' ' 
life  had  made  him  philosophical;  "  the  moments 
of  unreasonable  happiness  are  the  most  enviable 
no  doubt,  for  there  is  neither  gall  nor  satiety  in 
the  reaction.  All  this  is  as  enchanting  as — well, 
as  a  woman's  promise.  What  lies  beyond?  Illit 
erate  and  mercenary  Spaniards,  vicious  natives, 
and  boundless  ennui,  one  may  safely  wager.  But 
if  all  California  is  as  beautiful  as  this,  no  man 
that  had  spent  a  winter  in  Sitka  should  ask  for 
more." 

In  the  extent  and  variousness  of  his  travels 
Bezanov  had  seen  Nature  more  awesome  of 
feature  but  never  more  fair.  On  his  immediate 
right  as  he  sailed  down  the  straits  toward  the 
narrow  entrance  to  be  known  as  the  Golden  Gate, 
there  was  little  to  interest  save  the  surf  and  the 
masses  of  outlying  rocks  where  the  seals  leapt 
and  barked ;  the  shore  beyond  was  sandy  and  low. 
But  on  his  left  the  last  of  the  northern  mountains 
rose  straight  from  the  water,  the  warm  red  of 
its  deeply  indented  cliffs  rich  in  harmony  with  the 
green  of  slope  and  height.  There  was  not  a  tree ; 


REZANOV  7 

the  mountains,  the  promontories,  the  hills  far 
down  on  the  right  beyond  the  sand  dunes,  looked 
like  stupendous  waves  of  lava  that  had  cooled  inta 
every  gracious  line  and  fold  within  the  art  of 
relenting  Nature ;  ages  after,  granted  a  light  coat 
of  verdure  to  clothe  the  terrible  mystery  of  birth. 
The  great  bay,  as  blue  and  tranquil  as  a  high 
mountain  lake,  as  silent  as  if  the  planet  still  slept 
after  the  agonies  of  labor,  looked  to  be  broken  by 
a  number  of  promontories,  rising  from  their  point 
far  out  in  the  water  to  the  high  back  of  the  land ; 
but  as  the  Juno  pursued  her  slanting  way  down 
the  channel  Eezanov  saw  that  the  most  imposing 
of  these  was  but  the  end  of  a  large  island,  and 
that  scattered  near  were  other  islands,  masses 
of  rock  like  the  castellated  heights  that  rise 
abruptly  from  the  plains  of  Italy  and  Spain;  far 
away,  narrower  straits,  with  a  glittering  expanse 
beyond;  while  bounding  the  whole  eastern  rim 
of  this  splendid  sheet  of  water  was  a  chain  of 
violet  hills,  with  the  pale  green  mist  of  new 
grass  here  and  there,  and  purple  hollows  that 
might  mean  groves  of  trees  crouching  low  against 
the  trade  winds  of  summer;  in  the  soft  pale  blue 
haze  above  and  beyond,  the  lofty  volcanic  peak 
of  a  mountain  range.  Not  a  human  being,  not 


8  KEZANOV 

a  boat,  not  even  a  herd  of  cattle  was  to  be  seen, 
and  Rezanov,  for  a  moment  forgetting  to  exult 
in  the  length  of  Russia's  arm,  yielded  himself 
to  the  subtle  influence  abroad  in  the  air,  and  felt 
that  he  could  dream  as  he  had  dreamed  in  a 
youth  when  the  courts  of  Europe  were  as  fabu 
lous  as  El  Dorado ;  in  the  immensity  of  ancestral 
seclusions. 

i '  It  is  like  the  approach  to  paradise,  is  it  not, 
Excellency?  "  a  deferential  voice  murmured  at 
his  elbow. 

The  plenipotentiary  frowned  without  turning 
his  head.  Dr.  Langsdorff,  surgeon  and  naturalist, 
had  accompanied  the  Embassy  to  Japan,  and  al 
though  Rezanov  had  never  found  any  man 
more  of  a  bore  and  would  willingly  have  seen  the 
last  of  him  at  Kamchatka,  a  skilful  dispenser  of 
drugs  and  mender  of  bones  was  necessary  in  his 
hazardous  voyages,  and  he  retained  him  in  his 
suite.  Langsdorff  returned  his  polite  tolerance 
with  all  the  hidden  resources  of  his  spleen;  but 
his  curiosity  and  scientific  enthusiasm  would  have 
sustained  him  through  greater  trials  than  the  ex 
actions  of  an  autocrat,  whom  at  least  he  had 
never  ceased  to  respect  in  the  most  trying  mo 
ments  at  Nagasaki. 


EEZANOV  9 

"  Yes,"  said  Eezanov.  "  But  I  wonder  you 
find  anything  to  admire  in  such  unpor table 
objects  as  mountains  and  water.  I  have  not  seen 
a  living  thing  but  gulls  and  seals,  and  God  knows 
we  had  enough  of  both  at  Sitka." 

"  Ah,  your  excellency,  in  a  land  as  fertile  as 
this,  and  caressed  by  a  climate  that  would  coax 
life  from  a  stone,  there  must  be  an  infinite  num 
ber  of  aquatic  and  aerial  treasures  that  will  add 
materially  to  the  scientific  lore  of  Europe." 

"  Humph!  '  said  Eezanov,  and  moved  his 
shoulder  in  an  uncontrollable  gesture  of  dismissal. 
But  the  spell  of  the  April  morning  was  broken, 
although  the  learned  doctor  was  not  to  be  the  only 
offender. 

The  Golden  Gate  is  but  a  mile  in  width  and  the 
swift  current  carried  the  Juno  toward  a  low  pro 
montory  from  whose  base  a  shrill  cry  suddenly 
ascended.  Eezanov,  raising  his  glass,  saw  that 
what  he  had  taken  to  be  a  pile  of  fallen  rocks, 
was  a  fort  and  that  a  group  of  excited  men  stood 
at  its  gates.  Once  more  the  plenipotentiary  on 
a  delicate  mission,  he  ordered  the  two  naval  offi 
cers  sailing  the  ship  to  come  forward,  and  retired 
to  the  dignified  isolation  of  the  cabin. 

The   high-spirited   young  officers,    who    would 


10  EEZANOV 

have  raised  a  gay  hurrah  at  the  sight  of  civilized 
man  had  it  not  been  for  the  awe  in  which  they 
lield  their  chief,  saluted  the  Spaniards  formally, 
then  stood  in  an  attitude  of  extreme  respect;  the 
Juno  was  directly  under  the  guns  of  the  fort. 

One  of  the  Spaniards  raised  a  speaking  trum 
pet  and  shouted : 

"  Who  are  you?  ' 

No  one  on  the  Juno,  save  Rezanov,  could  speak 
a  word  of  Spanish,  but  the  tone  of  the  query  was 
its  own  interpreter.  The  oldest  of  the  lieutenants, 
through  the  ship's  trumpet,  shouted  back: 

"  The  Juno— Sitka— Russian." 

The  Spanish  officer  made  a  peremptory  gesture 
that  the  ship  come  to  anchor  in  the  shelter  given 
by  an  immense  angle  of  the  mainland,  of  which 
the  fort's  point  was  the  western  extreme.  The 
Russians,  as  befitted  the  peaceful  nature  of  their 
mission,  obeyed  without  delay.  Before  their 
resting  place,  and  among  the  sand  hills  a  mile 
from  the  beach,  was  a  quadrangle  of  buildings 
some  two  hundred  feet  square  and  surrounded 
by  a  wall  about  fourteen  feet  high  and  seven 
feet  thick.  This  they  knew  to  be  the  Presidio. 
They  saw  the  officers  that  had  hailed  them  gallop 
over  the  hill  behind  the  fort  to  the  more  ambitious 


EEZANOV  11 

enclosure  and,  in  the  square,  confer  with  another 
group  that  seemed  to  be  in  a  corresponding  state 
of  excitement.  A  few  moments  later  a  deputa 
tion  of  officers,  accompanied  by  a  priest  in  the 
brown  habit  of  the  Franciscan  order,  started  on 
horseback  for  the  beach.  Eezanov  ordered  Lieu 
tenant  Davidov  and  Dr.  Langsdorff  to  the  shore 
as  his  representatives. 

The  Spaniards  wore  the  undress  uniform  of 
black  and  scarlet  in  which  they  had  been  sur 
prised,  but  their  peaked  straw  hats  were  deco 
rated  with  cords  of  gold  or  silver,  the  tassels 
hanging  low  on  the  broad  brim;  their  high  deer 
skin  boots  were  gayly  embroidered,  and  bristled 
with  immense  silver  spurs.  The  commanding  offi 
cer  alone  had  invested  himself  with  a  gala  serape, 
a  square  of  red  cloth  with  a  bound  and  embroid 
ered  slit  for  the  head.  Leading  the  rapid  proces 
sion, his  left  hand  rested  significantly  on  his  sword, 
he  was  a  fine  specimen  of  the  young  California 
grandee,  dark  and  dashing  and  reckless,  lithe  of 
'  figure,  thoroughbred,  dissipated,  and  ardent.  His 
eyes  were  sparkling  at  the  prospect  of  excite 
ment  ;  not  only  had  the  Eussians,  by  their  nefari 
ous  appropriation  of  the  northwestern  corner  of 
the  continent  and  a  recent  piratical  excursion  in 


12  EEZANOV 

pursuit  of  otter,  inspired  the  Spanish  Govern 
ment  with  a  profound  disapproval  and  mistrust, 
but  a  rumor  had  run  up  the  coast  that  made 
every  sea-gull  look  like  the  herald  of  a  hostile 
fleet.  This  was  young  Argiiello's  first  taste  of 
command,  and  life  was  dull  on  the  northern  penin 
sula;  he  would  have  welcomed  a  declaration  of 
war. 

Davidov  and  Langsdorff  had  come  to  shore  in 
one  of  the  Juno's  canoes.  The  conversation  was 
held  in  Latin  between  the  two  men  of  learning. 

"  Who  are  you  and  whence  come  you?  "  asked 
the  priest. 

Langsdorff,  who  had  been  severely  drilled  by 
the  plenipotentiary  as  to  text,  replied  with  a 
profound  bow:  "  We  are  Russians  engaged  in 
completing  the  circumnavigation  of  the  globe. 
It  was  our  intention  to  go  directly  to  Monterey 
and  present  our  official  documents  as  well  as  our 
respects,  to  your  illustrious  Governor,  but  owing 
to  contrary  winds  and  a  resultant  scarcity  of 
provisions,  we  were  under  the  necessity  of 
putting  into  the  nearest  harbor.  The  Juno  is 
navigated  by  Lieutenant  Davidov  and  Lieutenant 
Khovstov,  of  the  Imperial  Navy  of  Russia;  by 
gracious  permission  associated  with  the  Marine 


EEZANOV  .  13 

of  the  Busso-American  Company.77  He  paused 
a  moment  and  then  swept  out  his  trump  card  with 
a  magnificent  flourish:  "  Our  expedition  is  in 
command  of  His  Excellency,  Privy  Counsellor 
and  Grand  Chamberlain  Baron  Kezanov,  late  Am 
bassador  to  the  Court  of  Japan,  Plenipotentiary 
of  the  Busso-American  Company,  Imperial  In 
spector  of  the  extreme  eastern  and  northwest 
American  dominions  of  His  Imperial  Majesty, 
Alexander  the  First,  Emperor  of  all  the  Bussias, 
whose  representative  in  these  waters  he  is." 

The  Spaniards  were  properly  impressed  as  the 
priest  translated  with  the  glibness  of  the  original ; 
but  Argiiello,  who  now  announced  himself  as 
Comandante  ad  interim  of  the  Presidio  of  San 
Francisco  during  the  absence  of  his  father  at 
Monterey,  nodded  sagely  several  times  and  then 
held  a  short  conference  in  Spanish  with  the 
interpreter.  The  priest  turned  to  the  Bussians 
with  a  smile  as  diplomatic  as  that  which  Bezanov 
had  drilled  upon  the  ugly  ingenuous  countenance 
of  his  medicine  man. 

"  Our  illustrious  Governor,  Don  Jose  Arri- 
llaga,  received  word  from  the  court  of  Spain,  now 
quite  two  years  ago,  of  the  sailing  in  1803  from 
Kronstadt  of  the  ships  Nadeshda  and  Neva,  in 


14  EEZANOV 

t 

command  of  Captain  Krusenstern  and  Captain 
Lisiansky,  the  former  having  on  board  the  illus 
trious  Ambassador  to  Japan,  the  Privy  Coun 
sellor  and  Chamberlain  de  Eezanov.  It  was  ex 
pected  that  these  ships  would  touch  at  more  than 
one  of  His  Most  Holy  Catholic  Majesty's  vast 
dominions,  and  all  viceroys  and  gobernador  pro 
prietaries  were  alike  instructed  to  receive  the 
exalted  representative  of  the  mighty  Emperor  of 
Eussia  with  hospitality  and  respect.  But  we 
cannot  understand  why  his  excellency  comes  to 
us  so  late  and  in  so  small  a  ship,  rather  than  in 
the  state  with  which  he  sailed  from  Europe. " 

"  The  explanation  is  simple,  my  father.  The 
original  ships,  from  a  variety  of  circumstances, 
were,  upon  our  arrival  at  Kamchatka,  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  embassy  to  Japan,  under  the 
necessity  of  returning  at  once  to  Europe.  His 
Imperial  Majesty,  Alexander  the  First,  ordered 
the  Chamberlain  and  plenipotentiary,  the  repre 
sentative  of  imperial  power  in  the  Eusso-Amer- 
ican  possessions,  to  remove  to  the  Juno  for  the 
purpose  of  visiting  the  Kurile  and  Aleutian 
Islands,  Kadiak  and  the  northwestern  coast  of 
America. "  The  Tsar  had  never  heard  of  the 
Juno,  but  as  Eezanov  was  practically  his  august 


EEZANOV  15 

self  in  these  far  away  waters,  there  was  enough 
of  truth  in  this  statement  to  appease  the  con 
science  of  a  subordinate. 

The  Spaniards  were  satisfied.  Lieutenant 
Argiiello  begged  that  the  emissaries  would  return 
to  the  ship  and  invite  the  Chamberlain  and  his 
party  to  come  at  once  to  the  Presidio  and  do  it 
the  honor  to  partake  of  the  poor  hospitality  it 
afforded.  An  officer  galloped  furiously  for 
horses. 

A  few  moments  later  they  were  still  more 
deeply  impressed  by  the  appearance  of  their  dis 
tinguished  visitor  as  he  stood  erect  in  the  boat 
that  brought  him  to  shore.  In  full  uniform  of 
dark  green  and  gold  lace,  with  cocked  hat  and  the 
splendid  order  of  St.  Ann  on  his  breast,  Eezanov 
was  by  far  the  finest  specimen  of  a  man  the  Cali- 
fornians,  themselves  of  ampler  build  than  their 
European  ancestors,  had  ever  beheld.  Of  com 
manding  stature  and  physique,  with  an  air  of 
highest  breeding  and  repose,  he  looked  both  a 
man  of  the  great  world  and  an  intolerant  leader 
of  men.  His  long  oval  face  was  thin  and  some 
what  lined,  the  mouth  heavily  moulded  and 
closely  set,  suggestive  of  sarcasm  and  humor ;  the 
nose  long,  with  arching  and  flexible  nostrils. 


16  EEZANOV 

His  eyes,  seldom  widely  opened,  were  light  blue, 
very  keen,  usually  cold.  Like  many  other  men 
of  his  position  in  Europe,  he  had  discarded  wig 
and  queue  and  wore  his  short  fair  hair  unpow- 
dered. 

It  was  a  singularly  imposing  but  hardly  attrac 
tive  presence,  thought  young  Argiiello,  until 
Kezanov,  after  stepping  on  shore  and  bowing 
formally,  suddenly  smiled  and  held  out  his  hand. 
Then  the  impressionable  Spaniard  "  melted  like 
a  woman,"  as  he  told  his  sister,  Concha,  and 
would  have  embraced  the  stranger  on  either  cheek 
had  not  awe  lingered  to  temper  his  enthusiasm. 
But  Eezanov  never  made  a  stancher  friend  than 
Luis  Argiiello,  who  vowed  to  the  last  of  his  for 
tunate  life  that  the  one  man  who  had  fulfilled  his 
ideal  of  the  grand  seigneur  was  he  that  sailed  in 
from  the  North  on  that  fateful  April  morning  of 
1806. 


II 

As  Rezanov,  heading  the  procession  with  young 
Argiiello,  entered  the  wide  gates  of  the  Presidio, 
he  received  an  impression  memorably  different 
from  that  which  led  earlier  travellers  to  describe 
it  inclemently  as  a  large  square  surrounded  by 
mud  houses  thatched  with  reeds.  It  is  true  that 
the  walls  were  of  adobe  and  the  roofs  of  tule ;  nor 
was  there  a  tree  on  the  sand  hills  encircling  the 
stronghold.  But  in  this  early  springtime — the 
summer  of  the  peninsula — the  hills  showed 
patches  of  verdure,  and  all  the  low  white  build 
ings  were  covered  by  a  network  of  soft  dull  green 
and  archaic  pink.  The  Castilian  rose,  full  and 
fluted,  and  of  ?.  chaste  and  penetrating  fragrance, 
hung  singly  and  in  clusters  on  the  pillars  of  the 
dwellings,  on  the  barracks  and  chapel,  from  the 
very  roofs;  bloomed  upon  bushes  as  high  as 
young  trees.  The  Presidio  was  as  delicately  per 
fumed  as  a  lady's  bower,  and  its  cannon  faced 
the  ever-changing  hues  of  water  and  island  and 
hill. 

As  the  party  approached,  heads  of  all  ages 


18  EEZANOV 

appeared  between  the  vines  and  there  was  a  low 
murmur  of  irrepressible  curiosity  and  delight. 

"  We  do  not  see  many  strangers  in  this  lonely 
land,"  said  Argiiello  apologetically.  "  And 
never  before  have  we  had  so  distinguished  a  guest 
as  your  excellency.  It  was  always  a  gala  day 
when  even  a  Boston  skipper  came  in  with  a  few 
bales  of  goods  and  a  complexion  like  the  hides  we 
sold  him.  Now,  alas!  they  are  no  longer  per 
mitted  to  enter  our  ports.  Governor  Arrillaga 
will  have  none  of  contraband  trade  and  slaying  of 
our  otter.  And  as  for  Europeans  other  than  Span 
iards,  save  for  an  English  sea-captain  now  and 
then,  they  know  naught  of  our  existence." 

But  Eezanov  had  not  come  to  California  on  the 
impulse  of  a  moment.  He  replied  suavely: 
«  There  you  are  mistaken.  Your  illustrious 
father,  Don  Jose  Mario  de  Argusllo,  is  well 
known  to  us  as  the  most  respected,  eminent  and 
influential  character  in  the  Californias.  It  was 
my  intention,  after  paying  a  visit  of  ceremony  to 
his  excellency,  Governor  Arrillaga,  to  come  to 
San  Francisco  for  the  sole  purpose  of  meeting 
a  man  whose  record  has  inspired  me  with  the 
deepest  interest.  And  we  have  all  heard  such 
wonderful  tales  of  your  California,  of  its  beauty, 


REZANOV  19 

its  fertility,  of  the  beneficent  lives  of  your  mis 
sionaries — so  different  from  ours! — and  of  the 
hospitality  and  elegance  of  the  Spaniards,  that  it 
has  been  the  objective  point  of  my  travels,  and  I 
have  found  it  difficult  to  curb  my  impatience  while 
attending  to  imperative  duties  elsewhere. " 

"  Ay,  senor!  M  exclaimed  the  young  Calif or- 
nian.  "  What  you  say  fills  me  with  a  pride  I 
cannot  express,  and  I  can  only  regret  that  the 
reports  of  our  poor  habitations  should  be  so  sadly 
exaggerated.  Such  as  our  possessions  are,  how 
ever,  they  are  yours  while  you  deign  to  remain  in 
our  midst.  This  is  my  father's  house.  I  beg  that 
you  will  regard  it  as  your  own.  Burn  it  if  you 
will!  "  he  cried  with  more  enthusiasm  than  com 
monly  enlivened  the  phrases  of  hospitality. 
"  He  will  be  proud  to  know  that  a  lifetime  of 
severe  attention  to  duty  and  of  devotion  to  his 
King  have  won  him  fame  abroad  as  well  as 
at  home.  He  has  risen  to  his  present  position 
from  the  ranks,  but  he  is  of  pure  Spanish  blood, 
not  a  drop  of  Indian;  and  my  mother  was  a  Mo- 
raga,  of  the  best  blood  of  Spain,"  he  added  art 
lessly.  "  As  to  the  beauty  and  variety  of  our 
country,  senor,  of  course  you  will  visit  our  lux 
uriant  south;  but "  They  had  dismounted 


20  EEZANOV 

at  the  Comandante  's  house  in  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  square.  Argiiello  impulsively  led 
Rezanov  back  to  the  gates  and  pointed  to  the 
east.  "  I  have  crossed  those  mountains  and  the 
mountains  beyond,  Excellency,  and  seen  fertile 
and  beautiful  valleys  of  a  vast  extent,  watered  by 
five  rivers  and  bounded  far,  far  away  by  moun 
tains  covered  with  snow  and  gigantic  trees.  The 
valley  beyond  the  southern  edge  of  the  bay,  where 
the  Missions  of  Santa  Clara  and  San  Jose  are,  is 
also  rich,  but  those  between  the  two  ranges  are  an 
empire ;  and  one  day  when  the  King  sends  us  more 
colonists,  we  shall  recompense  Spain  for  all  she 
has  lost." 

' '  I  congratulate  you !  ' '  Rezanov,  indifferent  to 
his  host's  ancestral  lode,  had  lifted  an  alert  ear. 
His  quick  incisive  brain  was  at  work,  "  I  should 
like  to  stretch  my  legs  over  a  horse  for  a  week 
at  a  time,  and  even  to  climb  your  highest  moun 
tains.  You  may  imagine  how  much  exercise  a 
man  may  get  on  a  vessel  of  two  hundred  and  six 
tons,  and  it  is  thirty-two  days  since  I  left  Sitka. 
To  look  upon  a  vast  expanse  of  green — to  say 
nothing  of  possible  sport — after  a  winter  of  inces 
sant  rain  and  impenetrable  fores-ts — what  a  pros 
pect  !  I  beg  you  will  take  me  off  into  the  wilder 
ness  as  soon  as  possible." 


EEZANOV  21 

"  I  promise  you  the  Governor  shall  not  with 
hold  his  consent — and  there  are  bear  and  deer — 
quail,  wild  duck — your  excellency  will  enjoy  that 
beautiful  wild  country  as  I  have  done."  Argiiello 
was  enchanted  at  the  prospect  of  fresh  adventure 
in  the  company  of  this  fascinating  stranger. 
'  *  But  we  are  once  more  at  our  poor  abode,  senor. 
I  beg  that  you  will  remember  it  is  your  own." 

They  ascended  the  steps  of  the  piazza,  sud 
denly  deserted,  and  it  seemed  to  Rezanov  that 
every  sense  in  his  being  quivered  responsively 
to  the  poignant  sweetness  of  the  Castilian  roses. 
He  throbbed  with  a  sudden  exultant  premonition 
that  he  stood  on  the  threshold  of  an  historic 
future,  a  pagan  joy  in  mere  existence,  a  sudden 
rush  of  desire  for  the  keen  wild  happiness  of 
youth.  Such  is  the  elixir  of  California  in  the 
north  and  the  spring. 

They  entered  a  long  sala  typical  of  its  day 
and  of  many  to  come;  whitewashed  walls  hung 
with  colored  prints  of  the  Virgin  and  saints; 
horsehair  furniture,  matting,  deep  window  seats; 
and  a  perennial  coolness.  The  Chamberlain  (his 
court  title  and  the  one  commonly  attached  to  his 
name)  made  himself  as  comfortable  as  the  slip 
pery  chair  would  permit,  and  Argiiello  iyent  for 
his  mother. 


22  EEZANOV 

Langsdorff,  who  had  lingered  on  the  piazza  with 
the  priest,  entered  in  a  moment. 

"  The  good  padre  tells  me  that  this  rose  of 
Castile  is  the  only  imported  flower  in  California, ' ' 
he  cried  with  enthusiasm,  for  although  not  a 
botanist  there  was  a  bump  between  his  eyes  as 
big  as  a  child's  fist  and  he  had  a  nose  like  the 
prow  of  a  toy  ship.  "  Many  cuttings  were 
brought  from  Spain— 

"  "What  difference  does  it  make  where  it  came 
from!  "  interrupted  Rezanov,  testily.  "  Is  it  not 
enough  that  it  is  beautiful,  but  it  must  have  a  pin 
stuck  through  it  like  some  poor  devil  of  a  butter 
fly!  " 

"  Your  excellency  has  also  the  habit  to  probe 
into  things  he  deems  worthy  of  his  attention/' 
retorted  the  offended  scientist;  but  he  was 
obliged  to  closet  his  wrath.  An  inner  door  opened 
and  the  host  reappeared  with  his  mother  and  a 
fair  demonstration  of  her  virtues.  She  was  a  very 
large  woman  dressed  loosely  in  black,  but  she 
carried  herself  with  an  air  of  complete,  if  some 
what  sleepy,  dignity,  and  it  was  evident  that  her 
beauty  had  been  great.  Her  full  face  had  lost 
its  contours,  but  time  had  spared  the  fine  Roman 
nose  and  the  white  skin,  that  birthright  of  the 


EEZANOV  23 

high-bred  Castilian.  Argiiello  presented  his  fam 
ily  ceremoniously  as  the  guest  of  honor  rose  and 
bowed  with  formal  deference. 

"  My  mother,  Doiia  Ignacia  Argiiello,  your 
excellency,  who  unites  with  me  in  praying  that 
you  will  regard  our  home  as  yours  during  your 
sojourn  in  the  north.  My  sister,  Maria  de  la 
Concepcion  Marcella  Argiiello,  and  my  little  sis 
ters,  Ana  Paula  and  Gertrudes  Eudisinda.  My 
brothers:  Gervasio — soldado  distinguido  of  the 
San  Francisco  Company;  Santiago,  a  cadet  in 
the  same  company;  Francesco  and  Toribio, 
whose  presence  at  the  table  I  beg  you  will  over 
look,  for  when  we  are  so  fortunate  as  to  be  all 
together,  senor,  we  cannot  bear  to  be  separated. 
My  oldest  brother,  alas ! — Ignacio — is  studying  for 
holy  orders  in  Mexico,  and  my  sister  Isabel  visits 
at  the  Presidio  of  Santa  Barbara.  I  beg  that  you 
will  be  seated,  Excellency. ' '  And  he  continued  the 
introduction  to  the  lesser  luminaries,  with  equal 
courtesy  but  fewer  periods. 

Eezanov  exchanged  a  few  pleasant  words  with 
his  smiling  hostess  before  she  returned  to  her 
distracted  maids  preparing  the  dinner;  but  his 
eyes  during  Argiie]lo?s  declamation  had  wan 
dered  with  a  singular  fidelity  to  the  beautiful  face 


24  K  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

of  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  house.  She  had 
responded  with  a  humorous  twinkle  in  her  mag 
nificent  black  eyes  and  not  a  hint  of  diffidence. 
As  she  entered  the  room  his  brain  had  flashed 
out  the  thought:  "  Thank  heaven  for  a  pretty 
girl  after  these  three  abominable  years. "  Pos 
sibly  his  pleasure  would  have  been  salted  with 
pique  had  he  guessed  that  her  thought  was  the 
twin  of  his  own.  He  was  the  first  man  of  any 
world  more  considerable  than  the  petty  court  of 
the  viceroy  of  Mexico  that  had  visited  California 
in  her  time,  and  excellent  as  she  found  his  tall 
military  figure  and  pale  cold  face,  the  novelty  of 
the  circumstance  fluttered  her  more. 

Dona  "  Concha  "  Argiiello  was  the  beauty  of 
California,  and  although  her  years  were  but  six 
teen  her  blood  was  Spanish,  and  she  carried  her 
tall  deep  figure  and  fine  head  with  the  grace  and 
dignity  of  an  accomplished  woman.  She  had 
inherited  the  white  skin  and  delicate  Eoman- 
Spanish  profile  of  the  Moragas,  but  there  was  an 
intelligent  fire  in  her  eyes,  a  sharp  accentuation 
of  nostril,  and  a  full  mobility  of  mouth,  childish, 
half-developed  as  that  feature  still  was,  that  be 
trayed  a  strong  cross-current  forcing  the  placid 
maternal  flow  into  rugged  and  unexplored  chan- 


KEZANOV  25 

nels,  while  assimilating  its  fine  qualities  of  pride 
and  high  breeding.  Gervasio  and  Santiago  re 
sembled  their  sister  in  coloring  and  profile,  but 
lacked  her  subtle  quality  of  personality  and  divine 
innocence.  Luis  was  more  the  mother's  son  than 
the  father's — saving  his  olive  skin;  a  grandee, 
modified  by  the  simplicities  of  a  soldier's  life, 
amiable  and  upright.  Dona  Ignacia  recognized 
in  Concha  the  quintessence  of  the  two  opposing 
streams,  and  had  long  since  ceased  to  impose 
upon  a  girl  who  had  little  else  but  her  liberties 
the  ordinary  restraints  of  the  Spanish  maiden. 
Concha  had  already  received  many  offers  of  mar 
riage  and  regarded  men  as  mere  swingers  of  in 
cense.  Moreover,  her  cultivated  mind  was  filled 
with  ideals  and  ideas  far  beyond  anything  Cali 
fornia  would  yield  in  her  day. 

As  Kezanov,  upon  Dona  Ignacia 's  retreat, 
walked  directly  over  to  her,  she  smilingly  seated 
herself  on  a  sofa  and  swept  aside  her  white  vol 
uminous  skirts.  She  was  not  sure  that  she  liked 
him,  but  in  no  doubt  whatever  of  her  delight  at 
his  advent. 

Her  manners  were  very  simple  and  artless,  as 
are  the  manners  of  most  women  whom  Nature 
has  gifted  with  complexity  and  depth. 


26  EEZANOV 

"It  is  now  two  years  and  more  that  we  have 
been  excited  over  the  prospect  of  this  visit, "  she 
said.  "  But  if  you  will  tell  me  what  you  have 
been  doing  all  this  time  I,  at  least,  will  forgive 
you ;  for  you  will  never  be  able  to  imagine,  senor, 
how  I  long  to  hear  of  the  great  world.  I  stare  at 
the  map,  then  at  the  few  pictures  we  have,  I  know 
many  books  of  travel  by  heart;  but  I  am  afraid 
my  imagination  is  a  poor  one,  for  I  cannot  con 
jure  up  great  cities  filled  with  people — thousands 
of  people !  Dios  de  mi  alma !  A  world  where 
there  is  something  besides  mountains  and  water, 
grain  fields,  orchards,  forests,  earthquakes  and 
climate!  Will  you,  senor?  ' 

1  i  For  quite  as  many  hours  as  you  will  listen  to 
me.  I  propose  a  compact.  You  shall  improve 
my  Spanish.  I  will  impart  all  I  know  of  Europe 
— and  of  Asia — if  your  curiosity  reaches  that 
far." 

"  Even  of  Japan?  '  There  was  a  wicked 
sparkle  in  her  eye. 

"  I  see  you  already  have  some  knowledge  of 
the  cause  of  my  delay."  His  voice  was  even, 
but  a  wound  smarted.  "  It  is  quite  true,  senorita, 
that  the  first  embassy  to  Japan,  from  which  we 
hoped  so  much,  was  a  humiliating  failure,  and 


EEZANOV  27 

that  I  was  played  with  for  six  months  by  a  peo 
ple  whom  we  had  regarded  as  a  nation  of  mon 
keys.  When  my  health  began  to  suffer  from  the 
long  confinement  on  shipboard — we  had  pre 
viously  been  fourteen  months  at  sea — and  I  asked 
to  be  permitted  to  live  on  shore  while  my  claims 
to  an  audience  were  under  consideration,  I  was 
removed  with  my  suite  to  a  cage  on  a  strip  of 
land  nearly  surrounded  with  water,  where  I  had 
less  liberty  and  exercise  than  on  shipboard.  Fin 
ally,  I  had  a  ridiculous  interview  with  a  '  great 
man/  in  which  I  accomplished  nothing  but  the 
preservation  of  what  personal  dignity  a  man  may 
while  sitting  on  his  heels;  the  superb  presents 
of  the  Tsar  were  returned  to  me,  and  I  was  po 
litely  told  to  leave;  Japan  wanted  neither  the 
.friendship  of  Russia  nor  her  gimcracks.  That, 
senorita,  is  the  history  of  the  first  Eussian  Em 
bassy — for  the  tentative  visit  of  Adam  Lanx- 
mann,  twelve  years  before,  can  be  dignified  by 
no  such  title — to  Oriental  waters.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  Count  Golofkin,  who  was  to  undertake 
a  similar  mission  to  China,  has  met  with  a  better 
fate." 

Underneath  the  polished  armor  of  a  man  who 
was  a  courtier  when  he  chose  and  the  dominating 


28  EEZANOV 

spirit  always,  he  was  hot  and  quick  of  temper. 
His  light  cold  eyes  glowed  with  resentment  at  the 
dancing  lights  in  hers,  as  he  cynically  gave  her 
a  bald  abstract  of  the  unfortunate  mission.  He 
reflected  that  commonly  he  would  have  fitted  a 
different  mask  to  the  ugly  skull  of  fact,  but  this 
young  barbarian,  as  he  chose  to  regard  her,  ex 
cited  the  elemental  truth  in  him,  defying  him  to 
appear  at  his  worst.  He  was  astonished  to  see 
her  eyes  suddenly  soften  and  her  mouth  tremble. 

' '  It  must  have  been  a  hateful  experience — hate 
ful!  '  Her  voice,  beginning  on  its  usual  low 
soft  note,  rose  to  a  hoarse  pitch  of  indignation. 
"  I  should  have  killed  somebody!  To  be  a  man, 
and  strong,  and  caressed  all  one's  life  by  fortune 
—and  to  be  as  helpless  as  an  Indian!  Madre  de 
Dios!  " 

"  I  shall  take  my  revenge,"  said  Bezanov 
shortly;  but  the  wound  closed,  and  once  more  he 
became  aware  of  the  poignant  sweetness  of  Cas- 
tilian  roses.  Concha  wore  one  in  her  soft  dusky 
hair,  and  another  where  the  little  round  jacket  of 
white  linen,  gayly  embroidered  with  pink,  met  on 
her  bosom.  But  if  sentiment  tempted  him,  he  was 
quickly  poised  by  her  next  remarks.  She  uttered 
them  in  a  low  tone,  although  the  animated  con- 


EEZANOV  29 

versation  of  the  rest  of  the  party — Davidov  alone 
romping  on  the  piazza  with  the  children — would 
have  permitted  the  two  on  the  sofa  to  exchange 
the  vows  of  love  unheard. 

"  But  what  a  practice  for  your  diplomatic  tal 
ents,  Excellency!  Poor  California!  At  least  let 
me  be  the  first  to  hear  what  you  have  come  for?  ' 
Her  voice  dropped  to  a  soft  cooing  note,  although 
her  eyes  twinkled.  "  For  the  love  of  God,  senor! 
I  am  so  bored  in  this  life  on  the  edge  of  the  world ! 
To  see  the  seams  and  ravellings  of  a  diplomatic 
intrigue!  I  have  read  and  heard  of  many,  but 
never  had  I  hoped  to  link  my  finger  in  anything 
subtler  than  a  quarrel  between  priest  and  Gover 
nor,  or  the  jealousy  of  Los  Angeles  for  Monterey. 
I  even  will  help  you — if  you  mean  no  harm  to  my 
father  or  my  country.  And  I  am  not  a  friend  to 
scorn,  senor,  for  my  blessed  father  is  as  wax  in  my 
hands,  the  dear  old  governor  adores  me,  and  even 
Padre  Abella,  who  thinks  himself  a  great  diplo 
mat,  and  is  watching  us  out  of  the  corner  of  his 
eye,  while  I  make  him  believe  you  pay  me  so  many 
compliments  my  poor  little  head  turns  round — 
Bueno  senor!  "  As  she  raised  her  voice  she 
plucked  the  rose  from  her  dress  and  tossed  it  to 


30  EEZANOV 

Kezanov.  Then  she  lifted  her  chin  and  pouted  her 
childish  lips  at  the  ironical  smile  of  the  priest. 

Rezanov  was  close  to  betraying  his  surprise; 
but  as  he  cherished  a  belief  that  the  souls  of  all 
pretty  women  went  to  school  to  the  devil  before 
entering  upon  earthly  enterprise,  he  wondered 
that  he  had  been  open  to  the  illusion  of  complete 
ingenuousness  in  a  descendant  of  one  of  the 
oldest  and  subtlest  civilizations  of  Earth.  Within 
that  luminous  shell  of  youth  there  were,  no 
doubt,  whispering  memories  of  men  and  women 
steeped  in  court  intrigue  to  the  eyes,  of  tri 
umphant  beauties  that  had  lived  for  love 
and  their  power  over  the  passions  of  men  as 
ardent  as  himself.  It  was  quite  possible  that  she 
might  be  as  useful  as  she  desired.  But  his  im 
pulses  were  in  leash.  He  merely  looked  and  mur 
mured  his  admiration. 

"  Better  ask,  what  chance  have  I,  a  defenceless 
man,  who  has  not  seen  a  charming  woman  for 
three  years,  against  such  practised  art?  If  you 
can  hoodwink  a  Spanish  priest,  and  manipulate 
a  Governor  who  has  won  the  confidence  of  the 
most  suspicious  court  in  Europe,  what  fortune 
for  a  barbarian  of  the  north!  Less  than  with 
Japan,  I  should  think. " 


BEZANOV  31 

He  divested  the  rose  of  its  thorns  and  many 
tight  little  buds,  and  thrust  the  stem  underneath 
the  star  of  St.  Ann.  She  lifted  her  chin  again 
and  tossed  her  head. 

16  You  do  not  trust  me,  but  you  will.  I  fancy 
it  will  be  before  long — for  it  is  quite  true  that 
the  Californians  are  not  so  easily  outwitted.  And 
—even  did  I  not  help  you,  I  would  not — I  vow, 
senor! — betray  you.  Is  it  true  that  Eussia  is  at 
war  with  Spain!  ' 
"  What!  " 

11  Have  you  not  heard!  It  was  for  that  we 
were  all  so  excited  this  morning.  We  thought  your 
ship  might  be  the  first  of  a  fleet. ' ' 

"  I  have  heard  no  such  rumor,  and  you  may 
dismiss  it.  Eussia  is  too  much  occupied  with 
Napoleon  Bonaparte,  who  has  had  himself 
crowned  Emperor  and  by  this  time  is  probably 
at  war  with  half  Europe- 
She  interrupted  him  with  flashing  eyes.  The 
pink  in  her  cheeks  had  turned  red.  The  thin 
nostrils  of  her  pretty  Eoman  nose  fluttered  like 
paper.  "  Ah!  "  she  exclaimed,  again  with  that 
note  of  hoarseness  in  her  voice.  "  There  is  a 
great  man,  not  a  mere  king  on  a  throne  his  an 
cestors  made  for  him.  Papa  hates  him  because 


32  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

he  has  seized  a  throne.  Ay  yi !  Dios !  you  should 
hear  the  words  fly  when  we  go  to  war  together. 
But  I  do  not  care  that  ?  —she  snapped  her  firm 
white  fingers — "  for  all  the  Bourbons  that  are 
in  Europe.  Bonaparte!  Do  you  know  him? 
Have  you  seen  him?  ' 

"  I  have  seen  him  insult  poor  Markov,  our 
ambassador  to  France,  when  I  can  assure  you 
that  he  looked  like  neither  a  demi-god  nor  a  gen 
tleman.  When  you  have  improved  my  Spanish 
I  will  tell  you  many  anecdotes  of  him.  Mean 
while,  am  I  to  assume  that  you  reserve  your  ad 
miration  for  the  man  that  carves  his  career  in 
defiance  of  the  rusty  old  machinery?  ' 

"  I  do !  I  do !  My  father  was  of  the  people,  a 
poor  boy.  He  has  risen  to  be  the  most  powerful 
of  all  Californians,  although  the  King  he  adores 
never  makes  him  Gobernador  Proprietario.  I  tell 
him  he  should  be  the  first  to  recognize  the  genius 
and  the  ambitions  of  a  Bonaparte.  The  mere 
thought  horrifies  him.  But  in  me  that  same 
strong  plebeian  blood  makes  another  cry,  and  if 
my  father  had  but  enough  men  at  his  back,  and 
the  will  to  make  himself  King  of  the  Californias 
— Madre  de  Dios!  how  I  should  help  him!  ' 

"  At  least  I  know  her  better  than  she  knows 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  33 

me,"  thought  Kezanov,  as  the  inner  door  was 
thrown  open  and  another  bare  room  with  a  long 
table  laden  with  savory  food  on  a  superb  silver 
service  was  revealed.  "  And  if  I  know  anything 
of  women  I  can  trust  her— for  as  long  as  she  may 
be  necessary,  at  all  events." 


>     OF  THE 

f  UNIVERSITY  I 

OF  / 


Ill 


"  SANTIAGO!  "  whispered  Concha.  "  Do  not  go 
down  to  the  ship.  Take  me  for  a  walk.  I  have 
much  to  say." 

Santiago,  who  had  not  been  asked  to  form  one 
of  the  escort  upon  the  return  of  the  Eussians  to 
the  Juno  for  the  night,  felt  injured  and  sulky, 
and  deigned  no  reply. 

"  If  you  do  not,  I'll  not  braid  your  hair  to 
morrow,"  said  his  sister,  giving  his  arm  a  little 
shake;  and  he  succumbed.  The  luxuriant  tresses 
of  the  male  Argiiellos  were  combed  and  braided 
and  tied  with  a  ribbon  every  morning  by  the 
women  of  the  family,  and  Concha's  fingers  were 
the  gentlest  and  deftest.  And  Concha  and  San 
tiago  were  more  intimate  than  even  the  rest  of 
that  united  family.  They  had  studied  and  read 
together,  were  equally  dissatisfied  with  their  nar 
row  existence,  ambitious  for  a  wider  experience. 
Santiago  consoled  himself  with  cards  and  train 
ing  roosters  for  battle,  and  otherwise  as  a  man 
may.  He  was  but  fifteen,  this  haughty  severe- 
looking  young  hidalgo,  but  while  in  some  respects 


EEZANOV  35 

many  years  older  than  his  sister,  in  others  he  was 
younger,  for  he  possessed  none  of  her  illuminat 
ing  instinct. 

She  led  him  through  a  postern  gate,  round  the 
first  of  the  dunes,  and  they  were  alone  in  a  waste 
of  sand.  Then  she  demanded  abruptly: 

61  What  do  you  think  of  our  illustrious  vis 
itor?  " 

' '  I  like  him.  He  would  wring  your  neck  if  you 
got  in  his  way,  but  has  a  kind  heart  for  those  that 
call  him  master.  I  like  that  sort  of  a  man.  I  wish 
he  would  take  me  away  with  him." 

"  He  shall — one  of  these  days.  Santiago  mio, 
let  me  whisper—  She  pulled  his  ear  down  to 

her  lips.  "  He  will  marry  me.  I  feel  it.  I  know 
it.  He  has  talked  to  me  the  whole  day.  He  has 
told  me  grave  secrets.  Not  even  to  you  would  I 
reveal  them.  So  many  have  loved  me — why 
should  not  he!  I  shall  live  in  St.  Petersburg, 
and  see  all  Europe! — thousands  of  people — Dios 
mio!  Dios  mio!  " 

"  Indeed!  "  Santiago,  still  unamiable,  re 
sponded  to  this  confidence  with  a  sneer.  "  You 
aspire  very  high  for  a  little  girl  of  the  wilderness, 
without  fortune,  and  only  half  a  coat-of-arms,  so 
to  speak.  Do  you  know  that  this  Eezanov — Dr. 


36  EEZANOV 

Langsdorff  has  told  us  all  about  him — is  a  great 
noble,  one  of  the  ten  barons  of  Eussia,  and  a 
Chamberlain  not  merely  by  the  accident  of  birth 
as  in  Austria  or  Germany,  but  in  accordance  with 
a  decree  of  Peter  the  Great  that  court  titles  should 
be  bestowed  as  a  reward  for  distinguished  services 
alone?  He  got  a  fortune  in  his  youth  by  mar 
riage  with  a  daughter  of  Shelikov — that  Siberian 
who  founded  the  Eussian  colonies  in  America. 
The  wife  died  almost  immediately,  but  the  Baron's 
influence  remained  with  Shelikov — for  his  in 
fluence  at  court  was  even  greater — and  after  the 
older  man's  death,  with  his  mother-in-law,  who  is 
uncommonly  clever.  Shelikov 's  schemes  were  but 
sketches  beside  Eezanov's,  who  from  merely  a 
courtier  and  a  gay  blood  about  town  developed 
into  a  great  man  of  business,  with  an  ambition 
to  correspond.  It  was  he  who  got  the  Imperial 
ukase  that  gave  the  Eussian- American  Company 
its  power  to  squeeze  all  the  other  fur  hunters  and 
traders  out  of  the  northeast,  and  make  Eezanov 
and  everybody  belonging  to  it  so  rich  your  head 
would  swim  if  I  told  you  the  number  of  doubloons 
they  spend  in  a  year.  Nobody  has  ever  been  so 
clever  at  managing  those  old  beasts  of  autocrats 
as  he.  They  think  him  merely  the  accomplished 


E  E  Z  A  N  O  V  37 

courtier,  a  brilliant  dilettante,  a  condescending 
patron  of  art  and  letters,  a  devotee  of  pleasure, 
and  all  the  time  he  is  pulling  their  befuddled  old 
intellects  about  to  suit  himself.  The  Tsar 
Paul  was  a  lunatic  and  they  murdered  him,  but 
meanwhile  he  signed  the  ukase.  The  Tsar 
Alexander,  who  is  not  so  bad  nor  so  silly  as  the 
others,  thinks  there  is  no  man  so  clever  as 
Eezanov,  who  addresses  him  personally  when 
sending  home  his  reports.  Do  you  know  what  all 
that  means!  Your  plenipotentiary  is  not  only 
a  chamberlain  at  court,  a  privy  counsellor,  and 
the  Tsar  himself  on  this  side  of  the  world,  but 
when  his  inspections  and  reforms  are  concluded, 
and  he  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  in  Eussia,  he 
will  return  to  St.  Petersburg  and  become  so  high 
and  mighty  that  a  princess  would  snap  at  him. 
And  you  aspire!  I  never  heard  such  nonsense. " 
' '  His  excellency  told  me  much  of  this, ' '  replied 
Concha  imperturbably.  "  And  I  am  sure  that  he 
cares  nothing  for  princesses  and  will  marry 
whom  he  most  admires.  He  would  not  say,  but  I 
know  he  cared  nothing  for  that  poor  little  wife, 
dead  so  long  ago.  It  was  a  mariage  de  con- 
venance,  such  as  all  the  great  world  is  accustomed 
to.  He  will  love  me  more  than  all  the  fine  ladies 


38  EEZANOV 

lie  has  ever  seen.  I  feel  it!  I  know  it!  And  I 
am  quite  happy." 

11  Do  you  love  him?  "  asked  Santiago,  looking 
curiously  at  his  sister's  flushed  and  glowing  face. 
It  seemed  to  him  that  she  had  never  looked  so 
young.  "  Many  have  loved  you.  I  had  begun  to 
think  you  had  no  heart  for  men,  no  wish  for  any 
thing  but  admiration.  And  now  you  give  your 
heart  in  a  day  to  this  Eussian — who  must  be 
nearly  forty — unasked. ' ' 

"  I  have  not  thought  of  my  heart  at  all.  But 
I  could  love  him,  of  course.  He  is  so  handsome, 
so  kind,  so  grand,  so  gay!  But  love  is  for  men 
and  wives — has  not  my  mother  said  so?  Now  I 
think  only  of  St.  Petersburg!  of  Paris!  of  Lon 
don!  of  the  beautiful  gowns  and  jewels  I  shall 
wear  at  court — a  red  velvet  train  as  long  as  a 
queen's,  and  all  embroidered  with  gold,  a  white 
veil  spangled  with  gold,  a  head-dress  a  foot  high 
studded  with  jewels,  ropes  of  diamonds  and 
pearls — I  made  him  tell  me  how  the  great  ladies 
dressed.  Ah!  there  is  the  pleasure  of  being  a 
girl — to  think  and  dream  of  all  those  beautiful 
things,  not  of  when  the  wife  must  live  always 
for  the  husband  and  children.  That  comes  soon 
enough.  And  why  should  I  not  have  all!  all! — 


REZANOV  39 

there  is  so  little  in  life  for  the  girl.  It  seems  to 
me  now  that  I  have  had  nothing.  When  he  asks 
me  to  marry  him  he  will  tell  me  of  the 
fine  things  I  shall  have  and  the  great  sights 
I  shall  witness — the  ceremonies  at  court,  the  win 
ter  streets — with  snow — snow,  Santiago! — where 
the  great  nobles  drive  four  horses  through  the 
drifts  like  little  hills  and  are  wrapped  in  furs 
like  bears!  The  grand  military  parades — how  I 
shall  laugh  when  I  think  of  our  poor  little' 
Presidios  with  their  dozen  officers  strutting 
about—  She  stopped  abruptly  and  bursting 

wildly  into  tears  flung  herself  into  her  brother's 
arms.  "  But  I  never  could  leave  you!  And  my 
father!  my  mother!  all!  all!  Ay,  Dios  de  mi 
alma!  what  an  ingrate  I  am!  I  should  die  of 
homesickness!  My  Santiago!  My  Santiago!  " 

Santiago  patted  her  philosophically.  ' l  You  are 
not  going  to-morrow, ' '  he  reminded  her.  l '  Don 't 
cross  your  bridges  until  you  come  to  them.  That 
is  a  good  proverb  for  maids  and  men.  You  might 
take  us  all  with  you,  or  spend  every  third  year  or 
so  in  California.  No  doubt  you  would  need  the 
rest.  And  meanwhile  remember  that  the  high 
and  mighty  Chamberlain  has  not  yet  asked  for 
the  honor  of  an  alliance  with  the  house  of  Ar- 


40  EEZANOV 

giiello,  and  that  your  brother  will  match  his  best 
fighting  cock  against  your  new  white  lace  man 
tilla  from  Mexico,  that  he  is  not  meditating  any 
project  so  detrimental  to  his  fortunes.  Console 
yourself  with  the  reflection  that  if  he  were,  our 
father  and  the  priests,  and  the  Governor  him 
self,  would  die  of  apoplexy.  He  is  a  heretic 
— a  member  of  the  Greek  Church!  Hast  thou 
lost  thy  reason,  Conchita?  Dry  your  eyes  and 
come  home  to  sleep,  and  let  us  hear  no  more 
of  marriage  with  a  man  who  is  not  only  a  bar 
barian  of  the  north  and  a  heretic,  but  so  proud 
he  does  not  think  a  Californian  good  enough  to 
wash  his  decks. " 


IV 

IT  was  long  before  Kezanov  slept  that  night. 
The  usual  chill  had  come  in  from  the  Pacific  as 
the  sun  went  down  and  the  distinguished  visitor 
had  intimated  to  his  hosts  that  he  should  like  to  ex 
ercise  on  shore  until  ready  for  his  detested  quar 
ters;  but  Argiiello  dared  not  in  the  absence  of 
his  father  invite  the  foreigner  even  to  sleep  in 
the  house  so  lavishly  offered  in  the  morning; 
although  he  had  sent  such  an  abundance  of  pro 
visions  to  the  ship  that  the  poor  sailors  were 
deep  in  sleep,  gorged  like  boa-constrictors;  and 
he  could  safely  promise  that  while  the  Juno  re 
mained  in  port  her  larder  should  never  be  empty. 
He  shared  the  evening  bowl  of  punch  in  the  cabin, 
then  went  his  way  lamenting  that  he  could  not 
take  his  new  friends  with  him. 

Bezanov  paced  the  little  deck  of  the  Juno  to 
keep  his  blood  in  stir.  There  was  no  moon.  The 
islands  and  promontories  on  the  great  sheet  of 
water  were  black  save  for  the  occasional  glow  of 
an  Indian  camp-fire.  There  was  not  a  sound  but 
the  lapping  of  the  waves,  the  roar  of  distant 


42  EEZANOV 

breakers.  The  great  silver  stars  and  the  little 
green  stars  looked  down  upon  a  solitude  that  was 
almost  primeval,  yet  mysteriously  disturbed  by 
the  restless  currents  in  the  brain  of  a  man  who 
had  little  in  common  with  primal  forces. 

Rezanov  was  uneasy  on  more  scores  than  one. 
He  was  annoyed  and  mortified  at  the  discovery- 
made  over  the  punch  bowl — that  the  girl  he  had 
taken  to  be  twenty  was  but  sixteen.  It  was  by 
no  means  his  first  experience  of  the  quick  matu 
rity  of  southern  women — but  sixteen!  He  had 
never  wasted  a  moment  on  a  chit  before,  and  al 
though  he  was  a  man  of  imagination,  and  not 
withstanding  her  intelligence  and  dignity,  he 
could  not  reconcile  properties  so  conflicting  with 
any  sort  of  feminine  ideal. 

And  the  pressing  half  of  his  mission  he  had 
confided  to  her!  No  man  knew  better  than  he 
the  value  of  a  tactful  and  witty  woman  in  the 
political  dilemmas  of  life;  more  than  one  had 
given  him  devoted  service,  nor  ever  yet  had  he 
made  a  mistake.  After  several  hours  spent  in 
the  society  of  this  clever  politic  dissatisfied  girl 
he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  he  could  trust 
her,  and  had  told  her  of  the  lamentable  condition 
of  the  creatures  in  the  employ  of  the  Eussian- 


EEZANOV  43 

American  Company;  of  their  chronic  state  of 
semi-starvation,  of  the  scurvy  that  made  them 
apathetic  of  brain  and  body,  and  eventually  would 
exterminate  them  unless  he  could  establish  recip 
rocal  trade  relations  with  California  and  obtain 
regular  supplies  of  farinaceous  food;  acknowl 
edged  that  he  had  brought  a  cargo  of  Kussian 
and  Boston  goods  necessary  to  the  well-being 
of  the  Missions  and  Presidios,  and  that  he  would 
not  return  to  the  wretched  people  of  Sitka,  at 
least,  without  a  generous  substitute  of  bread- 
stuffs,  dried  meats,  peas,  beans,  barley  and  tallow. 
Not  only  had  he  no  longer  the  courage  to  witness 
their  misery,  but  his  fortune  and  his  career  were 
at  stake.  His  entire  capital  was  invested  in  the 
company  he  had  founded,  and  he  had  failed  in 
his  embassy  to  Japan — to  the  keenest  mortifica 
tion  of  the  Tsar  and  the  jubilance  of  his  enemies. 
If  he  left  the  Emperor's  northeastern  dominions 
unreclaimed  and  failed  to  rescue  the  Company 
from  its  precarious  condition,  he  should  hardly 
care  to  return  to  St.  Petersburg. 

Dona  Concha  had  listened  to  this  eloquent  ha 
rangue — they  sat  alone  at  one  end  of  the  long 
sala  while  Luis  at  the  other  toiled  over  letters  to 
the  Governor  and  his  father  advising  them  of  the 


44  EEZANOV 

formidable  honor  of  the  Kussian's  visit — in  ex 
actly  the  temper  he  would  have  chosen.  Her  fine 
eyes  had  melted  and  run  over  at  the  moving  tale 
of  the  sufferings  of  the  servants  of  the  Company 
— until  his  own  had  softened  in  response  and  he 
had  impulsively  kissed  her  hand;  they  had  dilated 
and  flashed  as  he  spoke  of  his  personal  appre 
hensions  ;  and  when  he  had  given  her  a  practical 
explanation  of  his  reasons  for  coming  to  Califor 
nia  she  had  given  him  advice  as  practical  in 
return. 

He  must  withhold  from  her  father  and  the  Gov 
ernor  the  fact  of  his  pressing  need;  they  were 
high  officials  with  an  inflexible  sense  of  duty,  and 
did  all  they  could  to  enforce  the  law  against  trad 
ing  with  foreigners.  He  was  to  maintain  the 
fiction  of  belting  the  globe,  but  admit  that  he  had 
indulged  in  a  dream  of  commercial  relations — for 
a  benefit  strictly  mutual — between  neighbors  as 
close  as  the  Spanish  and  Kussians  in  America. 
This  would  interest  them — what  would  not,  on  the 
edge  of  the  world? — and  they  would  agree  to  lay 
the  matter,  reinforced  by  a  strong  personal  plea, 
before  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico;  who  in  turn  would 
send  it  to  the  Cabinet  and  King  at  Madrid. 
Meanwhile,  he  was  to  confide  in  the  priests  at  the 


EEZANOV  45 

Mission.  Not  only  would  their  sympathies  be 
enlisted,  but  they  did  much  trading  under  the  very 
nose  of  the  government.  Not  for  personal  gain 
—they  were  vowed  to  a  life  of  poverty;  but  for 
their  Indian  converts,  and  there  were  twelve  hun 
dred  at  the  Mission  of  San  Francisco,  they  would 
wink  at  many  things  condemnable  in  the  abstract. 
He  had  engaged  to  visit  them  on  the  morrow,  and 
he  must  take  presents  to  tempt  their  impersonal 
cupidity,  and  invite  them  to  inspect  the  rest  of 
his  wares — which  the  Governor  would  be  in 
formed  he  had  been  forced  to  buy  with  the  Juno 
from  the  Yankee  skipper,  D'Wolf,  and  would  rid 
himself  of  did  opportunity  offer. 

Eezanov  had  never  received  sounder  advice, 
and  had  promptly  accepted  it.  Now,  as  he  re 
flected  that  it  had  been  given  by  a  girl  of  sixteen, 
he  was  divided  between  admiration  of  her  pre 
cocity  and  fear  lest  she  be  too  young  to  keep  a 
secret.  Moreover,  there  were  other  considera 
tions. 

Eezanov,  although  in  his  earlier  years  he  had 
so  far  sacrificed  his  interests  and  played  into  the 
hands  of  his  enemies,  in  avoiding  the  too  em 
barrassing  partiality  of  Catherine  the  Great,  had 
nevertheless  held  a  high  place  at  court  by  right 


46  EEZANOV 

of  birth,  and  been  a  man  of  the  world  always; 
rarely  absent  from  St.  Petersburg  during  the 
last  and  least  susceptible  part  of  the  imperial 
courtesan's  life,  the  brief  reign  of  Paul,  and  the 
two  years  between  the  accession  of  Alexander 
and  the  sailing  of  the  Nadeshda.  Moreover, 
there  was  hardly  another  court  of  importance 
in  Europe  with  which  he  was  not  familiar,  and 
few  men  had  had  a  more  complete  experience  of 
life.  And  the  life  of  a  courtier,  a  diplomat,  a 
traveller,  noble,  wealthy,  agreeable  to  women  by 
divine  right,  with  active  enemies  and  a  horde  of 
flatterers,  in  daily  contact  with  the  meaner  and 
more  disingenuous  corners  of  human  nature,  is 
not  conducive  to  a  broad  optimism  and  a  sweet 
and  immutable  Christianity.  Eezanov  inevitably 
was  more  or  less  cynical  and  blase,  and  too  long 
versed  in  the  ways  of  courts  and  courtiers  to 
retain  more  than  a  whimsical  tolerance  of  the 
naked  truth  and  an  appreciation  of  its  excellence 
as  a  diplomatic  manoeuvre.  Nevertheless,  he  was 
by  nature  too  impetuous  ever  to  become  under  any 
provocation  a  dishonest  man,  and  too  normally  a 
gentleman  to  deviate  from  a  certain  personal 
code  of  honor.  He  might  come  to  California  with 
fair  words  and  a  very  definite  intention  of  annex- 


EEZANOV  47 

ing  it  to  Russia  at  the  first  opportunity,  but  he 
was  incapable  of  abusing  the  hospitality  of  the 
Arguellos  by  making  love  to  their  sixteen-year- 
old  daughter.  Had  she  been  of  the  years  he 
had  assumed  he  would  have  had  less  scruple 
in  embarking  upon  a  flirtation,  both  for  the  pas 
time  and  the  use  he  might  make  of  her.  A  Span 
ish  beauty  of  twenty,  still  unmarried,  would  be 
more  than  his  match.  But  a  child,  however  pre 
cocious,  inevitably  would  fall  in  love  with  the  first 
uncommon  stranger  she  met;  and  Rezanov,  less 
vain  than  most  men  of  his  kind,  and  with  a  fun 
damental  humanity  that  was  the  chief  cause  in  his 
efforts  to  improve  the  condition  of  his  wretched 
promuschleniki,  had  no  taste  for  the  role  of  heart- 
breaker. 

But  the  girl  had  proved  her  timeliness,  would, 
if  trustworthy,  be  of  further  use  in  inclining  her 
father  and  the  Governor  toward  such  of  his  de 
signs  as  he  had  any  intention  of  revealing;  and 
weighing  carefully  his  conversations  with  her,  he 
was  disposed  to  believe  that  she  would  screen  and 
abet  him  through  vanity  and  love  of  intrigue. 
After  the  dinner,  in  the  seclusion  of  the  sala,  he 
had  taken  pains  to  explore  for  the  causes  of  her 
mental  maturity.  Concha  had  told  him  of  Don 


48  EEZANOV 

Jose  Argiiello's  ambition  that  his  .children  in 
their  youth  should  have  the  education  he  had 
been  forced  to  acquire  in  his  manhood;  he  had 
taught  them  himself,  and  notwithstanding  his 
piety  and  the  disapproval  of  the  priests,  had  per 
mitted  them  to  read  the  histories,  travels,  and 
biographies  he  received  once  a  year  from  the 
City  of  Mexico.  Kezanov  had  met  Madame  de 
Stae'l  and  other  bas  bleus,  and  given  them  no 
more  of  his  society  than  politeness  demanded, 
but  although  astonished  at  the  amount  of  infor 
mation  this  young  girl  had  assimilated,  he  found 
nothing  in  her  manner  of  wearing  her  intellectual 
crown  to  offend  his  fastidious  taste.  She  was 
wholly  artless  in  her  love  of  books  and  of 
discussing  them;  and  nothing  in  their  contents 
had  disturbed  the  sweetest  innocence  he  had  ever 
met.  Of  the  little  arts  of  coquetry  she  was  mis 
tress  by  inheritance  and  much  provocation,  but 
her  unawakened  inner  life  breathed  the  simplicity 
and  purity  of  the  elemental  roses  that  hovered 
about  her  in  his  thoughts.  Her  very  unsuscepti- 
bility  made  the  game  more  dangerous ;  if  it  piqued 
him — and  he  aspired  to  be  no  more  than  human — • 
he  either  should  have  to  marry  her,  or  nurse  a 
sore  spot  in  his  conscience  for  the  rest  of  his 


EEZANOV  49 

life;  and  for  neither  alternative  had  he  the  least 
relish. 

He  dismissed  the  subject  at  last  with  an  im 
patient  shrug.  Perhaps  he  was  a  conceited  ass, 
as  his  English  friends  would  say;  perhaps  the 
Governor  would  be  more  amenable  than  she  had 
represented.  No  man  could  forecast  events.  It 
was  enough  to  be  forearmed. 

But  his  thoughts  swung  to  a  theme  as  little  dis 
burdening.  His  needs,  as  he  had  confided  to 
Concha,  were  very  pressing.  The  dry  or  frozen 
fish,  the  sea-dogs,  the  fat  of  whales,  upon  which 
the  employees  of  the  company  were  forced  to 
subsist  in  the  least  hospitable  of  climes,  had  rav 
aged  them  with  scorbutic  diseases  until  their  num 
bers  were  so  reduced  by  death  and  desertion 
there  was  danger  of  depopulation  and  the  con 
sequent  bankruptcy  of  the  Company.  Since 
June  of  the  preceding  year  until  his  departure 
from  New  Archangel  in  the  previous  month,  he  had 
been  actively  engaged  in  inspection  of  the  Com 
pany's  holdings  from  Kamchatka  to  Sitka:  re 
forming  abuses,  establishing  schools  and  libraries, 
as  well  as  measures  to  protect  the  fur-bearing 
animals  from  reckless  slaughter  both  by  the 
promuschleniki  and  marauding  foreigners;  pun- 


50  KEZANOV 

isliing  and  banishing  the  worst  offenders  against 
the  Company's  laws;  encouraging  the  faithful, 
and  sharing  hardships  with  them  that  sent 
memories  of  former  luxuries  and  pleasures 
scurrying  off  to  the  realms  of  fantasy.  But  his 
rule  would  be  incomplete  and  his  efforts  end  in 
failure  if  the  miserable  Eussians  and  natives  in 
the  employ  of  the  Company  were  not  vitalized  by 
proper  food  and  cheered  with  the  hope  of  its  per 
manence. 

In  Santiago's  story  of  the  Eussian  visitor's 
achievements  and  status  there  was  the  common 
mingling  of  truth  and  fiction  the  exalted  never 
fail  to  inspire.  Eezanov,  although  he  had  accom 
plished  great  ends  against  greater  odds,  was  too 
little  of  a  courtier  at  heart  ever  to  have  been  a 
prime  favorite  in  St.  Petersburg  until  the  acces 
sion  of  a  ruler  with  whom  he  had  something  in 
common.  A  dissolute  woman  and  a  crack-brained 
despot  were  the  last  to  appreciate  an  original  and 
independent  mind,  and  the  seclusion  of  Alexander 
had  been  so  complete  during  the  lifetime  of  his 
father  that  Eezanov  had  barely  known  him  by 
sight.  But  the  Tsarovitz,  enthusiastic  for  reform 
and  a  passionate  admirer  of  enterprise,  knew  of 
Eezanov,  and  no  sooner  did  he  mount  his  gory 


What  he  had  taken  for  a  pile  of  fallen  rocks  was  a  fort  and 
a  group  of  excited  men  at  its  gates.     Page  9. 


KEZANOV  51 

throne  than  he  confirmed  the  Chamberlain  in  his 
tremendous  enterprise,  and  two  years  later  made 
him  a  Privy  Counsellor,  invested  him  with  the 
order  of  St.  Ann  and  chose  him  for  the  critical 
embassy  to  the  verdant  realm  with  the  blind  and 
gateless  walls. 

Eezanov  had  conquered  so  far  in  life  even  less 
by  address  than  by  the  demonstration  of  abilities 
very  singular  in  a  man  of  his  birth  and  education. 
When  he  met  Shelikov,  the  Siberian  fur  merchant 
and  trader,  during  the  latter 's  visit  to  St.  Peters 
burg  in  1788,  he  was  a  young  man  with  little  in 
terest  in  life  outside  of  its  pleasures,  and  a  patri 
mony  that  enabled  him  to  command  them  to  no 
great  extent  and  barely  to  maintain  the  dignity  of 
his  rank.  Shelikov 's  plan  to  obtain  a  monopoly 
of  the  fur  trade  in  the  islands  and  territories 
added  by  his  company  to  Kussia,  possibly 
throughout  the  entire  possession,  thus  prevent 
ing  the  destruction  of  sables,  seals,  otters,  and 
foxes  by  small  traders  and  foreigners,  interested 
him  at  once;  or  possibly  he  was  merely  fasci 
nated  at  first  by  the  shrewd  and  dauntless  rep 
resentative  of  a  class  with  which  he  had  never 
before  come  in  contact.  The  accidental  acquaint 
ance  ripened  into  intimacy,  Eezanov  became  a 


52  REZANOV 

partner  in  the  Skelikov-Golikov  Company,  and 
married  the  daughter  of  his  new  friend.  After 
the  death  of  his  father-in-law,  in  1795,  his  am 
bitions  and  business  abilities,  now  fully  awake, 
prompted  him  to  obtain  for  himself  and  his  part 
ners  rights  analogous  to  those  granted  by  Eng 
land  to  the  East  India  Company.  Shelikov  had 
won  little  more  than  half  the  power  and  privileges 
he  had  solicited  of  Catherine,  although  he  had 
amalgamated  the  two  leading  companies,  drawn 
in  several  others,  and  built  ships  and  factories, 
the  latter  protected  by  forts.  And  if  the  regnant 
merchants  made  large  fortunes,  the  enterprise  in 
general  suffered  from  the  rivalries  between  the 
various  companies,  and  above  all  from  lack  of  im 
perial  support. 

Eezanov,  his  plans  made,  brought  to  bear  all 
the  considerable  influence  he  was  able  to  com 
mand,  called  upon  all  his  resources  of  brain  and 
address,  and  brought  Catherine  to  the  point  of 
consenting  to  sign  the  charter  he  needed.  Before 
it  was  ready  for  the  imperial  signature  she  died. 
Eezanov  was  forced  to  begin  again  with  her  ill- 
balanced  and  intractable  son.  Natalie  Shelikov, 
his  famous  mother-in-law,  the  old  shareholders 
of  the  company,  and  the  many  new  ones  that  had 


EEZANOV  53 

subscribed  to  Rezanov's  ambitious  project,  gave 
themselves  up  to  despair.  For  a  time  the  outlook 
was  dark.  The  personal  enemies  of  Rezanov  and 
the  bitter  and  persistent  opponents  of  the  com 
panies  threw  themselves  eagerly  into  the  scale 
with  tales  of  the  brutality  of  the  merchants  and 
the  threatened  extirpation  of  the  fur-bearing 
animals.  Paul  announced  his  intention  to  abolish 
all  the  companies  and  close  the  colonies  to  traders 
big  and  little. 

But  the  enemy  had  a  very  subtle  antagonist  in 
Rezanov.  Apparently  dismissing  the  subject,  he 
applied  himself  to  gaining  a  personal  ascendancy 
over  the  erratic  but  impressionable  Tsar.  No 
one  in  the  opposing  camp  could  compare  with 
him  in  that  fine  balance  of  charm  and  brain  which 
was  his  peculiar  gift,  or  in  the  adroit  manipula 
tion  of  a  mind  propelled  mainly  by  vanity.  He 
studied  Paul's  moods  and  character,  discovered 
that  after  some  senseless  act  of  oppression  he 
suffered  from  a  corresponding  remorse,  and  was 
peculiarly  susceptible  to  any  plan  that  would 
increase  his  power  and  add  lustre  to  his  name. 
The  commercial  and  historic  advantages  of  pros 
perous  northeastern  possessions  were  artfully 
instilled.  At  the  opportune  moment  Eezanov 


54  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

laid  before  him  a  scheme,  mature  in  every  detail, 
for  a  great  company  that  would  add  to  the  wealth 
of  Bussia,  and  convince  Europe  of  the  sound  com 
mercial  sense  and  unmortal  wisdom  of  its  sov 
ereign.  Without  more  ado  he  obtained  his 
charter. 

This  momentous  instrument  granted  to  the 
"  Eussian-American  Company  under  our  High 
est  Protection/'  "  full  privileges,  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years  on  the  coast  of  northwestern  Amer 
ica,  beginning  from  latitude  55  degrees  north,  and 
including  the  chain  of  islands  extending  from 
Kamchatka  northward,  and  southward  to  Japan; 
the  exclusive  right  to  all  enterprises,  whether 
hunting,  trading,  or  building,  and  to  new  dis 
coveries;  with  strict  prohibition  from  profiting 
from  any  of  these  pursuits,  not  only  to  all  parties 
who  might  engage  in  them  on  their  own  responsi 
bility,  but  also  to  those  who  formerly  had  ships 
and  establishments  there,  except  those  who  have 
united  with  the  new  Company/'  All  private 
traders  who  refuse  to  join  the  Company  were  to 
be  allowed  to  sell  their  property  and  depart  in 
peace. 

Thus  was  formed  the  first  Trust  Company 
of  America;  and  the  United  States  never  has 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  55 

had  so  formidable  a  menace  to  her  territorial 
greatness  as  in  this  Russian  nobleman  who  paced 
that  night  the  wretched  deck  of  the  little  ship  he 
had  bought  from  one  of  her  skippers.  Perturbed 
in  mind  at  his  recent  failures  and  immediate  pros 
pects,  he  was  no  less  determined  to  take  Cali 
fornia  from  the  Spaniards  either  by  absorption 
or  force. 

On  his  way  from  New  Archangel  to  San  Fran 
cisco  he  had  met  with  his  second  failure  since 
leaving  St.  Petersburg.  It  was  his  intention  to 
move  the  Sitkan  colony  down  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia  River,  not  only  pressed  by  the  need 
of  a  more  beneficent  soil,  but  as  a  first  insidious 
advance  upon  San  Francisco  Bay.  Upon  this 
trip  it  would  be  enough  to  make  a  survey  of  the 
ground  and  bury  a  copper  plate  inscribed:  "  Pos 
session  of  the  Russian  Empire/'  The  Juno  had 
encountered  terrific  storms.  After  three  desper 
ate  attempts  to  reach  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
Rezanov  had  been  forced  to  relinquish  the  enter 
prise  for  the  moment  and  hasten  with  his  diseased 
and  almost  useless  crew  to  the  nearest  port.  It 
was  true  that  the  attempt  could  be  made  again 
later,  but  Rezanov,  sanguine  of  temperament, 
was  correspondingly  depressed  by  failure  and 
disposed  to  regard  it  as  ao  ill-omen. 


56  EEZANOV 

An  ambassador  inspired  by  heaven  could  have 
accomplished  no  more  with  the  Japanese  at  that 
mediaeval  stage  of  their  development  than  he  had 
done,  and  the  most  indomitable  of  men  cannot 
yet  control  the  winds  of  heaven;  but  sovereigns 
are  rarely  governed  by  logic,  and  frequently  by 
the  favorite  at  hand.  The  privilege  of  writing 
personally  to  the  Tsar,  in  his  case,  meant  more 
and  less  than  appeared  on  the  surface.  It  was 
a  measure  to  keep  the  reports  of  the  Company  out 
of  the  hands  of  the  Admiralty  College,  its  bitter 
est  enemy,  and  always  jealous  of  the  Civil  Ser 
vice.  Nevertheless,  Eezanov  knew  that  he  had  no 
immediate  reason  to  apprehend  the  loss  of  Alex 
ander's  friendship  and  esteem;  and  if  he  placed 
the  Company,  in  which  all  the  imperial  family 
had  bought  shares,  on  a  sounder  basis  than  ever 
before,  and  doubled  its  earnings  by  insuring  the 
health  of  its  employees,  he  would  meet,  when  in 
St.  Petersburg  again,  with  practically  no  op 
position  to  his  highest  ambitions.  These  am 
bitions  he  deliberately  kept  in  a  fluid  state  for 
the  present.  Whether  he  should  aspire  to  great 
authority  in  the  government,  or  choose  to  rule 
with  the  absolute  powers  of  the  Tsar  himself 
these  already  vast  possessions  on  the  Pacific — and 


REZANOV  57 

to  whose  expansion  there  need  be  no  limit  within 
the  boundaries  of  his  own  will — would  be  decided 
by  events.  All  his  inherited  and  cultivated  in 
stincts  yearned  for  the  brilliant  and  complex 
civilizations  of  Europe,  but  the  new  world  had 
taken  a  firm  hold  upon  his  humaner  and  appealed 
more  insidiously  to  his  despotic.  Moreover,  Eu 
rope,  torn  up  by  that  human  earthquake,  Na 
poleon  Bonaparte,  would  lose  the  greater  half  of 
its  sweetness  and  savor.  All  that,  however,  could 
be  determined  upon  his  return  to  St.  Petersburg 
in  the  autumn. 

But  meanwhile  he  must  succeed  with  these  Cali- 
fornians,  or  they  might  prove,  toy  soldiers  as 
they  were,  more  perilous  to  his  fortunes  than 
enemies  at  court.  He  could  not  afford  another 
failure;  and  news  of  this  attempt  and  an  exposi 
tion  of  all  that  depended  upon  it  was  already  on 
the  road  to  the  capital  of  Russia. 

He  had  known,  of  course,  of  the  law  that  for 
bade  the  Spanish  colonies  to  trade  with  foreign 
ships,  but  he  had  relied  partly  upon  the  use  he 
could  make  of  the  orders  given  by  the  Spanish 
King  at  the  request  of  the  Tsar  regarding  the 
expedition  under  Krusenstern,  partly  upon  his 
own  wit  and  address.  But  although  the  royal 


58  EEZANOV 

order  had  insured  him  immediate  hospitality  and 
saved  him  many  wearisome  formalities,  he  had 
already  discovered  that  the  Spanish  on  the  far 
rim  of  their  empire  had  lost  nothing  of  their 
connate  suspicion.  Kather,  their  isolation  made 
them  the  more  wary.  Although  they  little  appre 
ciated  the  richness  and  variousness  of  Califor 
nia's  soil,  and  not  at  all  this  wonderful  bay  that 
could  accommodate  the  combined  navies  of  the 
world,  pocketing  several,  the  pious  zeal  of  the 
clergy  in  behalf  of  the  Indians,  and  the  general 
policy  of  Spain  to  hold  all  of  the  western  hemi 
sphere  that  disintegrating  forces  would  permit, 
made  her  as  tenacious  of  this  vast  territory  she 
had  so  sparsely  populated  as  had  she  been  aware 
that  its  foundations  were  of  gold,  conceived 
that  its  climate  and  soil  were  a  more  enduring 
source  of  wealth  than  ever  she  would  command 
again.  If  Rezanov  was  without  a  prophetic  sense 
of  the  former — although  he  had  taken  note  of 
Argiiello's  casual  reference  to  a  vein  of  silver 
and  lead  in  the  Monterey  hills — no  man  ever  more 
thoroughly  appreciated  the  visible  resources  of 
California  than  he.  Baranhov,  chief-manager 
of  the  Company,  had  talked  with  American  and 
British  skippers  for  twenty  years,  and  every  item 


EEZANOV  59 

he  had  accumulated  Eezanov  had  extracted.  To 
day  he  had  drawn  further  information  from 
Concha  and  her  brothers;  and  their  artless  de 
scriptions  as  well  as  this  incomparable  bay  had 
filled  him  with  enthusiasm.  What  a  gift  to 
Russia!  What  an  achievement  to  his  immortal 
credit!  The  fog  had  rolled  in  from  the  Pacific 
in  great  white  waves  and  stealthily  enfolded 
him,  obliterated  the  sea  and  the  land.  But 
he  did  not  see  it.  Apprehension  left  him.  Once 
more  he  fell  to  dreaming.  In  the  course  of  a  few 
years  the  Company  would  attract  a  large  popula 
tion  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  Eiver,  be 
strong  enough  to  make  use  of  any  favorable  turn 
in  European  politics  and  sweep  down  upon  Cali 
fornia.  The  geographical  position  of  Mexico,  the 
arid  and  desolate,  herbless  and  waterless  wastes 
intervening,  would  prohibit  her  sending  any  con 
siderable  assistance  overland;  and,  all  powerful 
at  court  by  that  time,  he  would  take  care  that  the 
Eussian  navy  inspired  Spain  with  a  distaste  for 
remote  Pacific  waters.  He  had  long  since  recov 
ered  from  the  disappointment  induced  by  the 
orders  compelling  him  to  remain  in  the  colonies. 
The  great  Company  he  had  heretofore  regarded 
merely  as  a  source  of  income  and  a  means  of  ad- 


60  EEZANOV 

vancing  his  ambitions,  he  now  loved  as  his  child. 
Even  during  the  marches  over  frozen  swamps  and 
mountains,  during  the  terrible  winter  in  Sitka 
when  he  had  become  familiar  with  illness  and  even 
with  hunger,  his  ardor  had  grown,  as  well  as  his 
determination  to  force  Eussia  into  the  front  rank 
of  commercial  Europe.  The  United  States  he 
barely  considered.  He  respected  the  new  country 
for  the  independent  spirit  and  military  genius 
that  had  routed  so  powerful  a  nation  as  Great 
Britain,  but  he  thought  of  her  only  as  a  new  and 
tentative  civilization  on  the  far  shores  of  the 
Atlantic.  After  some  experience  of  travel  in 
Siberia,  and  knowing  the  immensity  and  primeval 
conditions  of  northwestern  America,  he  did 
not  think  it  probable  that  the  little  cluster  of 
states,  barely  able  to  walk  alone,  would  indulge 
in  dreams  of  expansion  for  many  years  to  come. 
He  had  heard  of  the  projected  expedition  of 
Lewis  and  Clarke  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia, 
but — perhaps  he  was  too  Russian — he  did  not 
take  any  adventure  seriously  that  had  not  a 
mighty  nation  at  its  back.  And  as  it  was  almost 
the  half  of  a  century  from  that  night  before  the 
American  flag  flew  over  the  Custom  House  of 
Monterey,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  Russian 


EEZiNOV  61 

aggression  under  the  leadership  of  so  energetic 
and  resourceful  a  spirit  as  Nicolai  Petrovich  de 
Bezanov  was  in  a  fair  way  to  make  history  first 
in  the  New  Albion  of  Drake  and  the  California  of 
the  incompetent  Spaniard. 


V 

THE  Eussians  were  to  call  at  the  house  of  the 
Comandante  on  their  way  to  the  Mission,  and 
Concha  herself  made  the  chocolate  with  which 
they  were  to  be  detained  for  an  hour.  It  was 
another  sparkling  morning,  one  of  the  few  that 
came  between  winter  and  summer,  summer 
and  winter,  and  made  even  this  bleak  peninsula 
a  land  of  enchantment  before  the  trade  winds 
took  the  sand  hills  up  by  their  foundations  and 
drove  them  down  to  Yerba  Buena,  submerging 
the  battery  and  every  green  thing  by  the  way; 
or  the  great  fogs  rolled  down  from  the  tule  lands 
of  the  north  and  in  from  the  sea,  making  the  shiv 
ering  San  Franciscan  forget  that  not  ten  miles 
away  the  sun  was  as  prodigal  as  youth.  For  a 
few  weeks  San  Francisco  had  her  springtime, 
when  the  days  were  warm  and  the  air  of  a  won 
derful  lightness  and  brightness,  the  atmosphere 
so  clear  that  the  flowers  might  be  seen  on  the 
islands,  when  man  walked  with  wings  on  his  feet 
and  a  song  in  his  heart;  when  the  past  was  done 
with,  the  future  mattered  not,  the  present  with  its 
ever  changing  hues  on  bay  and  hill,  its  cool  elec- 


EEZANOV  63 

trical  breezes  stirring  imagination  and  pulse,  was 
all  in  all. 

And  it  was  in  San  Francisco's  springtime  that 
Concha  Argiiello  made  chocolate  for  the  Russian 
to  whom  she  was  to  give  a  niche  in  the  his 
tory  of  her  land;  and  sang  at  her  task.  She 
whirled  the  molinillo  in  each  cup  as  it  was 
filled,  whipping  the  fragrant  liquid  to  froth, 
pausing  only  to  scold  when  her  servant 
stained  one  of  the  dainty  saucers  or  cups. 
Poor  Rosa  did  not  sing,  although  the  spring  at 
tuned  her  broken  spirit  to  a  gentler  melancholy 
than  when  the  winds  howled  and  the  fog  was  cold 
in  her  marrow.  She  had  been  sentenced  by  the 
last  Governor,  the  wise  Borica,  to  eight  years  of 
domestic  servitude  in  the  house  of  Don  Jose  Ar 
giiello  for  abetting  her  lover  in  the  murder  of  his 
wife.  Concha,  thoughtless  in  many  things,  did 
what  she  could  to  exorcise  the  terror  and  despair 
that  stared  from  the  eyes  of  the  Indian,  and  puz 
zled  her  deeply.  Rosa  adored  her  young  mistress 
and  exulted  even  when  Concha's  voice  rose  in 
wrath;  for  was  not  she  noticed  by  the  loveliest 
senorita  in  all  the  Californias,  while  others,  en 
vious,  and  spiteful  to  a  poor  girl  no  worse  than 
themselves,  were  ignored? 


64  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V. 

Concha's  cheeks  were  as  pink  as  the  Castilian 
roses  that  grew  even  before  the  kitchen  door  and 
were  quivering  at  the  moment  under  the  impas 
sioned  carolling  of  a  choir  of  larks.  Her  black 
eyes  were  full  of  dancing  lights,  like  the  impris 
oned  sun-flecks  under  the  rose  bush,  and  never 
had  indolent  Spanish  hands  moved  so  quickly. 

1 1  Mira !  Mira !  ' '  she  cried  to  the  luckless  Eosa. 
1  i  That  is  the  third  time  thou  hast  spilt  the  choco 
late.  Thy  hands  are  of  wood  when  they  should 
be  of  air.  A  soft  bit  of  linen  to  clean  them,  not 
that  coarse  rag.  Dios  de  mi  alma!  I  shall  send 
for  Malia." 

"  For  the  love  of  Mary,  senorita,  have  pity!  ' 
wailed  Eosa.     "  There — see — thanks  to  the  Vir 
gin  I  have  poured  three  cups  without  spilling  a 
drop.    And  this  rag  is  of  soft  linen.    Look,  Dona 
Concha,  is  it  not  true?  ' 

"  Bueno;  take  care  thou  leavest  not  one  drop 
on  a  saucer  and  I  will  forgive  thee — do  not  kiss 
my  hand  now,  foolish  one !  How  can  I  whirl  the 
molinillo?  Be  always  good  and  I  will  burn  a 
candle  for  thee  every  time  I  go  to  the  Mission. 
The  Eussians  go  to  the  Mission  this  morning. 
Hast  thou  seen  the  Eussians,  Eosa?  ' 

"  I  have  seen  them,  senorita.  Did  I  not  serve 
at  table  yesterday?  " 


EEZANOV  65 

"  True;  I  had  forgotten.  What  didst  thou 
think  of  them?  " 

"  What  matters  it  to  such  great  folk  what  a 
poor  Indian  girl  thinks  of  them?  They  are  very 
fair,  which  may  be  the  fashion  in  their  country; 
but  I  am  not  accustomed  to  it;  and  I  like  not 
beards. " 

"  His  excellency  wore  no  beard — he  who  sat 
on  my  mo ther's  right  and  opposite  to  me." 

1 1  He  is  very  grand,  sefiorita ;  more  grand  than 
the  Governor,  who  after  all  has  red  hair  and  is 
old.  He  is  even  grander  than  Don  Jose,  whom 
may  the  saints  preserve;  or  than  the  padres  at 
the  Mission.  Perhaps  he  is  a  king,  like  our  King 
and  natural  lord  in  Spain.  (El  rey  nuestro  y 
sefior  natural.)  Is  he  a  king,  senorita?  " 

' '  No,  but  he  should  be.  Kosa,  thou  mayst  have 
my  red  cloak  that  came  from  Mexico — last  year. 
I  have  a  new  one  and  that  is  too  small.  I  had  in 
tended  to  give  it  to  Ana  Paula,  but  thou  art  a 
good  girl  and  should  have  a  gay  mantle  for  Sun 
day,  like  the  other  girls.  I  have  also  a  red  rib 
bon  for  thy  hair " 

Eosa  spilt  half  the  contents  of  the  chocolate 
pot  on  the  floor  and  Concha  gave  her  a  sound  box 
on  the  ear.  However,  she  did  not  dismiss  her,  a 


66  EEZANOV 

sentence  for  which  the  trembling  girl  prepared 
herself. 

"  Make  more — quickly!  '  cried  the  lady  of 
caprice.  ' '  They  come.  I  hear  them.  But  this  is 
enough  for  the  first.  Make  the  rest  and  beat  with 
the  molinillo  as  I  have  done,  and  Malia  will  bring 
all  to  the  corridor. ' ' 

She  ran  to  her  room  and  her  mirror.  Both 
were  small,  the  former  little  more  luxurious  than 
the  cell  of  a  nun.  But  the  roses  hung  over  the 
window,  the  birds  had  built  in  the  eaves,  and  over 
the  wall  the  sun  shone  in.  In  one  corner  was  an 
altar  and  a  crucifix.  If  the  walls  were  rough  and 
white,  they  were  as  spotless  as  the  hands  that 
shook  out  and  then  twisted  high  the  fine  dusky 
masses  of  hair.  When  a  fold  had  been  drawn 
down  over  either  ear,  in  the  modest  fashion  of  the 
California  maid  and  wife,  and  the  tall  shell  comb 
had  fastened  the  rest,  Concha  instead  of  finishing 
the  head-dress  with  her  long  Spanish  pins,  divested 
the  stems  of  two  half-blown  roses  of  their  thorns 
and  thrust  them  obliquely  through  the  knot. 
Her  dress  was  of  simple  white  linen  made  with  a 
very  full  skirt  and  little  round  jacket,  but  em 
broidered  by  her  own  deft  fingers  with  the  color 
she  loved  best.  She  patted  her  frock,  rolled  down 


EEZANOV  67 

her  sleeves,  and  went  out  to  the  "  corridor  " 
to  stand  demurely  behind  her  mother  as  the 
Eussians,  escorted  by  Father  Ramon  Abella,  rode 
into  the  square. 

Eezanov  had  intended  merely  to  pay  a  call  of 
ceremony  upon  the  hospitable  Argiiellos,  but 
after  he  had  dismounted  and  kissed  the  hands  of 
the  smiling  senora  and  her  beautiful  daughter 
he  was  nothing  loath  to  linger  over  a  cup  of 
chocolate. 

It  was  served  out  there  in  the  shade  of  the 
vines.  Eezanov  and  Concha  sat  on  the  railing, 
and  the  man  stared  over  his  cup  at  the  girl  with 
the  roses  touching  her  cheek  and  ruffling  her  hair. 

"  Do  you  like  chocolate,  senorf  '  asked 
Concha,  who  was  not  in  the  intellectual  mood  of 
yesterday.  "  I  made  it  myself — I  and  my  poor 
Eosa." 

"It  is  the  most  delectable  foam  I  have  ever 
tasted.  I  am  interested  to  know  that  it  has  the 
solid  foundation  of  a  name.  What  is  the  matter 
with  your  Eosa?  " 

"  She  is  an  unfortunate.  Her  lover  killed  his 
wife,  and  it  is  said  that  she  is  not  innocent  her 
self.  The  lover  serves  in  chains  for  eight  years, 
and  she  is  with  us  that  we  may  make  her  repent 


£8  REZANOV 

and  keep  her  from  further  sin.  She  is  very  un 
happy  and  will  marry  the  man  when  his  punish 
ment  is  over.  I  am  very  sorry  for  her." 

1  i  Fancy  you  living  close  to  a  woman  like  that ! 
I  find  it  detestable. " 

"  Why! — if  I  can  do  her  good — and  make  her 
happy,  sometimes?  ' 

"  Does  she  ever  talk  about  her  life — before  she 
came  here  I  ' 

"  Oh,  no;  she  is  far  too  sad.  Once  only,  when 
J  told  her  I  would  pray  for  her  in  the  Mission, 
she  asked  me  to  burn  a  candle  that  her  lover 
might  serve  his  sentence  more  quickly  and  come 
out  and  marry  her.  Will  you  light  one  for  her 
to-day,  senor?  ' 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure;  if  you  really 
want  your  maid  to  marry  a  man  who  no  doubt 
will  murder  her  for  the  sake  of  some  other 
woman. ' ' 

"  Oh,  surely  not!  He  loves  her.  I  know  that 
many  men  love  more  than  once,  but  when  they 
are  punished  like  that,  they  must  remember. " 

i '  Is  it  true  that  you  are  only  sixteen?  Is  that 
an  impertinent  question!  I  cannot  help  it. 
Those  years  are  so  few,  and  so  much  wisdom  has 
gone  into  that  little  head." 

"  Sixteen  is  quite  old."    Concha  drew  herself 


REZANOV  69 

up  with  an  air  of  offended  dignity.  "  Elena 
Castro,  who  lives  on  the  other  side,  is  but  eigh 
teen  and  she  has  three  little  ones.  The  Virgin 
brought  them  in  the  night  and  left  them  in  the 
big  rosebush  you  see  before  the  door — one  at  a 
time,  of  course.  Only  the  old  nurse  knew;  the 
Virgin  whispered  it  while  she  was  saying  a  prayer 
for  Elena;  and  early  in  the  morning  she  came 
and  found  the  dear  little  baby  and  put  it  in  Elena 's 
arms.  I  am  the  godmother  of  the  first — Conchitita^ 
In  Santa  Barbara,  where  we  lived  for  some  yearsy 
Anita  Amanda  Carillo,  the  friend  of  Ana  Paulay 
is  married,  although  she  is  but  twelve  and  sits  on 
the  floor  all  day  and  plays  with  her  dolls.  She 
prays  every  night  to  the  Virgin  to  bring  her  a 
real  baby,  but  she  is  not  old  enough  to  take  care* 
of  it  and  must  wait.  Twelve  is  too  young  to- 
marry. ' '  Concha  shook  her  head.  Her  eyes  were 
wise,  and  Rezanov  noted  anew  that  her  mouth: 
alone  was  as  young  as  her  years.  "  My  father 
would  not  permit  such  a  thing.  I  am  glad  he  is 
not  anxious  we  should  marry  soon.  I  should  love- 
to  have  the  babies,  though;  they  are  so  sweet  ta 
play  with  and  make  little  dresses  for.  But  my 
mother  says  the  Virgin  does  not  bring  the  Httle 
ones  to  good  girls — poor  Eosa  had  one  but  it  died 
— until  their  parents  find  them  a  husband  first.  I 


70  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

have    never    wanted    a    husband—  Concha 

darted  a  swift  glance  over  her  shoulder,  but  San 
tiago  was  in  the  clutches  of  the  learned  doctor 
and  wishing  that  he  knew  no  Latin;  "  so  I  go 
every  day  and  play  with  Elena's  babies,  which  is 
well  enough. ' ' 

Eezanov  listened  to  this  innocent  revelation 
with  the  utmost  gravity,  but  for  the  first  time  in 
many  years  he  was  conscious  of  a  novel  fascina 
tion  in  a  sex  to  which  he  had  paid  no  niggard's 
tribute.  In  his  world  the  married  woman 
reigned;  it  was  doubtful  if  he  had  ever  had  ten 
minutes  conversation  with  a  young  girl  before, 
never  with  one  whose  face  and  form  were  as 
arresting  as  her  crystal  purity.  He  was  fasci 
nated,  but  more  than  ever  on  his  guard.  As  he 
rode  over  the  sand  hills  to  the  Mission  she  clung 
fast  to  his  thoughts  and  he  speculated  upon  the 
woman  hidden  away  in  the  depths  of  that  lovely 
shell  like  the  deep  color  within  the  tight  Cas- 
tilian  buds  that  opened  so  slowly.  He  recalled 
the  personalities  of  the  young  officers  that  sur 
rounded  her.  They  were  charming  fellows,  gay, 
kindly,  honest;  but  he  felt  sure  that  not  one  of 
them  was  fit  to  hold  the  cup  of  life  to  the  exquisite 
young  lips  of  Concha  Argiiello.  The  very  thought 
disposed  him  to  twist  their  necks. 


VI 


THE  Mission  San  Francisco  de  Assisi  stood  at 
the  head  of  a  great  valley  about  a  league  from  the 
Presidio  and  facing  the  eastern  hills.  Behind  it, 
yet  not  too  close,  for  the  priests  were  ever  on 
their  guard  against  Indians  more  lustful  of  loot 
than  salvation,  was  a  long  irregular  chain  of  hills, 
breaking  into  twin  peaks  on  its  highest  ridge, 
with  a  lone  mountain  outstanding.  It  was  an 
imposing  but  forbidding  mass,  as  steep  and  bare 
as  the  walls  of  a  fortress;  but  in  the  distance, 
north  and  south,  as  the  range  curved  in  a  taper 
ing  arc  that  gave  the  valley  the  appearance  of  a 
colossal  stadium,  the  outlines  were  soft  in  a 
haze  of  pale  color.  The  sheltered  valley  between 
the  western  heights  and  the  sand  hills  far  down 
by  the  bay  where  it  turned  to  the  south,  was  green 
with  wheat  fields;  and  a  small  herd  of  cattle 
grazed  on  the  lower  slopes.  The  beauty  of  this 
superbly  proportioned  valley  was  further  en 
hanced  by  groves  of  oaks  and  bay  trees,  and  by 
a  lagoon,  communicating  with  an  arm  of  the  bay, 
which  the  priests  had  named  for  their  Lady  of 


72  EEZANOV 

Sorrows — Nuestro  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  The 
little  sheet  of  water  was  almost  round,  very  green 
and  set  in  a  thicket  of  willows  that  were  green, 
.too,  in  the  springtime,  and  golden  in  summer, 
^[ear  its  banks,  or  closer  to  the  protecting  Mis 
sion — on  whose  land  grant  they  were  built — were 
.the  comfortable  adobe  homes  of  the  few  Spanish 
jjioneers  that  preferred  the  bracing  north  to  the 
monotonous  warmth  of  the  south.  Some  of  these 
houses  were  long  and  rambling,  others  built  about 
&  court ;  all  were  surrounded  by  a  high  wall,  after 
a  brief  interval  of  garden  where  the  Castilian 
roses  grew  even  more  luxuriantly  than  at  the 
Presidio.  The  walls,  like  the  houses,  were  white, 
-and  on  those  of  Don  Juan  Moraga,  a  cousin  of 
Dona  Ignacia  Argiiello,  the  roses  had  been  trained 
to  form  a  border  along  the  top  in  a  fashion  that 
reminded  Eezanov  of  the  pink-edged  walls  of 
Fiesole. 

The  white  red-tiled  church  and  the  long  line 
of  rooms  adjoining  were  built  of  adobe  with  no 
-effort  at  grandeur,  but  with  a  certain  noble  sim 
plicity  of  outline  that  harmonized  not  only  with 
the  lofty  reserve  of  the  hills  but  with  the  innocent 
hope  of  creating  a  soul  in  the  lowest  of  human 
bipeds.  The  Indians  of  San  Francisco  were  as 


REZANOV  73 


immedicable  as  they  were  hideous;  but 
fathers  belabored  them  with  sticks  and  heaven 
with  prayer,  and  had  so  far  succeeded  that  if  as 
yet  they  had  sown  piety  no  higher  than  the  knees 
they  had  trained  some  twelve  hundred  pairs  of 
hands  to  useful  service. 

On  the  right  was  a  graveyard,  with  little  in  it  as 
yet  but  rose  trees  ;  behind  the  church  and  the  many 
spacious  rooms  built  for  the  consolation  of  virtue 
in  the  wilderness  was  a  large  building  sur 
rounding  a  court.  Girls  and  young  widows  occu 
pied  the  cells  on  the  north  side  and  the  work  rooms 
on  the  east,  while  the  youths,  under  the  sharp  eye 
of  a  lay  brother,  were  opposite.  All  lived  a  life  of 
unwilling  industry:  cleaning  and  combing  wool, 
spinning,  weaving,  manufacturing  chocolate, 
grinding  corn  between  stones,  making  shoes, 
fashioning  the  simple  garments  worn  by  priest 
and  Indian.  Between  the  main  group  of  buildings 
and  the  natural  rampart  of  the  "  San  Bruna 
Mountains  "  was  the  Rancheria,  where  the  fam 
ilies  lived  in  eight  long  rows  of  isolated  huts. 

In  spite  of  vigilance  an  Indian  escaped  now 
and  again  to  the  mountains,  where  he  could  lie 
naked  in  the  sun  and  curse  the  fetich  of  civiliza 
tion.  As  the  Russians  approached,  a  friar,  with: 


74*  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

deer-skin  armor  over  his  cassock,  was  tugging 
at  a  recalcitrant  mule,  while  a  body-guard  of  four 
Indians  stood  ready  to  attend  him  down  the  coast 
in  search  of  an  enviable  brother.  The  mule,  as  if 
in  sympathy  with  the  fugitive,  had  planted  his 
four  feet  in  the  earth  and  lifted  his  voice  in  de 
rision,  while  the  young  friar,  a  recruit  at  the 
Mission,  and  far  from  enamored  of  his  task, 
strained  at  the  rope,  and  an  Indian  pelted  the 
hindquarters  with  stones.  Suddenly,  the  mule 
flung  out  his  heels,  the  enemy  in  the  rear 
sprawled,  the  rope  flew  loose,  the  beast  with  a 
loud  bray  fled  toward  the  willows  of  Dolores. 
But  the  young  priest  was  both  agile  and  angry. 
With  a  flying  leap  he  reached  the  heaving  back. 
The  mule  acknowledged  himself  conquered.  The 
body-guard  trotted  on  their  own  feet,  and  the 
party  disappeared  round  a  bend  of  the  hills. 

Eezanov  laughed  heartily  and  even  the  glum 
visage  of  Father  Abella  relaxed. 

"It  is  a  common  sight,  Excellency,"  he  said. 
"  We  are  thankful  to  have  a  younger  friar  for 
such  fatiguing  work.  Many  a  time  have  I  be 
labored  stubborn  mules  and  bestrode  bucking 
mustangs  while  searching  for  one  of  these  un 
grateful  but  no  doubt  chosen  creatures.  It  is  the 


The  white  red-tiled  church  ***  built  of  ad9be,  with  no  effort 

at  grandeur  but  with  a  certain  novel  simplicity  of  outline.    Page  72. 


EEZANOV  75 

will  of  God,  and  we  make  no  complaint;  but  we 
are  very  willing,  Father  Landaeta  and  I,  that 
youth  should  cool  its  ardor  in  so  certain  a  fashion 
while  we  attend  to  the  more  reasonable  duties  at 
home. ' ' 

They  dismounted  at  the  door  of  the  church. 
The  horses  were  led  off  by  waiting  Indians.  The 
soldier  on  guard  saluted  and  stepped  aside,  and 
the  party  entered.  Two  priests  in  handsome  vest 
ments  stood  before  the  altar,  but  the  long  dim 
nave  was  empty.  The  Russians  had  been  told 
that  a  mass  would  be  said  in  their  honor,  and  they 
marched  down  the  church  and  bent  their  knees 
with  as  much  ceremony  as  had  they  been  of  the 
faith  of  their  hosts.  When  the  short  mass  was 
over,  Eezanov  bethought  himself  of  Concha's  re 
quest,  and  whispering  its  purport  to  Father 
Abella  was  led  to  a  double  iron  hoop  stuck  with 
tallow  dips  in  various  stages  of  petition.  Eez 
anov  lit  a  candle  and  fastened  it  in  an  empty 
socket.  Then  with  a  whimsical  twist  of  his  mouth 
he  lit  and  adjusted  another. 

"  No  doubt  she  has  some  fervent  wish,  like  all 
children,"  he  thought  apologetically.  "  And 
whether  this  will  help  her  to  realize  it  or  not,  at 
least  it  will  be  interesting  to  watch  her  eyes— 


76  EEZANOV 

and  mouth — when  I  tell  her.  Will  she  melt,  or 
flash,  or  receive  my  offering  at  her  shrine  as  a 
matter  of  course?  I'll  surprise  her  to-night  in 
the  middle  of  a  dance. " 

He  deposited  a  gold  piece  among  the  candles 
on  the  table  and  followed  Father  Abella  through 
a  side  door.  A  corridor  ran  behind  the  long  line 
of  rooms  designed  not  only  for  priests  but  for 
the  travellers  always  sure  of  a  welcome  at  these 
hospitable  Missions.  Father  Abella  shuffled 
ahead,  halted  on  the  threshold  of  a  large  room, 
ceremoniously  invited  his  guests  to  enter.  Two 
other  priests  stood  before  a  table  set  with  wine 
and  delicate  confections,  their  hands  concealed 
in  their  wide  brown  sleeves,  but  their  unmatched 
physiognomies — the  one  lean  and  jovial,  the  other 
plump  and  resigned — alight  with  the  same  smile 
of  welcome.  Father  Abella  mentioned  them  as 
his  coadjutor  Father  Martin  Landaeta,  and  their 
guest  Father  Jose  Uria  of  San  Jose;  and  then 
the  three,  with  the  scant  rites  of  genuine  hos 
pitality,  applied  themselves  to  the  tickling  of 
palates  long  unused  to  ambrosial  living.  Respond 
ing  ingenuously  to  the  glow  of  their  home-made 
wines,  they  begged  Eezanov  to  accept  the  Mission, 
burn  it,  plunder  it,  above  all,  to  plan  his  own  day. 


EEZANOV  77 

"  I  hope  that  I  am  to  see  every  detail  of  your 
great  work/'  replied  the  diplomatic  guest  of 
honor.  "  But  at  your  own  leisure.  Meanwhile,  I 
beg  that  you  will  order  one  of  your  Indians  to 
bring  in  the  little  presents  I  venture  to  offer  as 
a  token  of  my  respect.  You  may  have  heard  that 
the  presents  of  his  Imperial  Majesty  were  re 
fused  by  the  Mikado  of  Japan.  I  reserved  many 
of  them  for  possible  use  in  our  own  possessions, 
particularly  a  piece  of  cloth  of  gold.  This  I  had 
intended  for  our  church  at  New  Archangel,  but 
finding  the  priests  there  more  in  need  of  punish 
ment  than  reward,  I  concluded  to  bring  it  here 
and  offer  it  as  a  manifest  of  my  admiration  for 
what  the  great  Franciscan  Order  of  the  Most 
Holy  Church  of  Kome  has  accomplished  in  the 
Calif ornias.  Have  I  been  too  presumptuous?  ' 

The  priests  all  wore  the  eager  expressions  of 
children. 

"  Could  we  not  see  them  first?  "  asked  Father 
Landaeta  of  his  superior ;  and  Father  Abella  sent 
a  servant  with  an  order  to  unload  the  horse  and 
bring  in  the  presents. 

Not  a  vestige  of  reserve  lingered.  Priests  and 
guests  sat  about  the  table  eating  and  drinking 
and  chatting  as  were  they  old  friends  reunited, 


7$  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

and  Rezanov  extracted  much  of  the  information 
he  desired.  The  white  population — "  gente  de 
razon  *'  —of  Alta  California,  the  peculiar  prov 
ince  of  the  Franciscans — the  Jesuits  having  been 
the  first  to  invade  Baja  California,  and  with  little 
success — numbered  about  two  thousand,  the  Chris 
tianized  Indians  twenty  thousand.  There  were 
nineteen  Missions  and  four  Presidial  districts — 
San  Diego,  close  to  the  border  of  Baja  California, 
Santa  Barbara,  Monterey,  and  San  Francisco. 
Each  Mission  had  an  immense  grant  of  land,  or 
rancho — generally  fifteen  miles  square — for  the 
raising  of  live  stock,  agricultural  necessities,  and 
the  grape.  At  the  Presidio  of  San  Francisco 
there  were  some  seventy  men,  including  invalids ; 
and  the  number  varied  little  at  the  other  military 
centres,  Rezanov  inferred,  although  there  was  a 
natural  effort  to  impress  the  foreigner  with  the 
casual  inferiority  of  the  armed  force  within  his 
ken.  Cattle  and  horses  increased  so  rapidly  that 
every  few  years  there  was  a  wholesale  slaughter, 
although  the  agricultural  yield  was  enormous. 
What  the  Missions  were  unable  to  manufacture 
was  sent  them  from  Mexico,  and  disposed  of  the 
small  salaries  of  the  priests;  the  "  Pious  Fund  of 
California  "  in  the  City  of  Mexico  being  sys- 


EEZANOV  79 

tematically  embezzled.  The  first  Presidio  and 
Mission  were  founded  at  San  Diego  in  July  of 
1769 ;  the  last  at  San  Francisco  in  September  and 
October  of  1776. 

Rezanov's  polite  interest  in  the  virgin  country 
was  cut  short  by  the  entrance  of  two  Indians  car 
rying  heavy  bundles,  which  they  opened  upon 
the  floor  without  further  delay. 

The  cloth  of  gold  was  magnificent,  and  the 
padres  handled  it  as  rapturously  as  had  their 
souls  and  fingers  been  of  the  sex  symbolized  while 
exalted  by  the  essence  of  maternity  in  whose 
service  it  would  be  anointed.  Kezanov  looked 
on  with  an  amused  sigh,  yet  conscious  of  being 
more  comprehending  and  sympathetic  than  had 
he  journeyed  straight  from  Europe  to  California. 
It  was  not  the  first  time  he  had  felt  a  passing 
gratitude  for  his  uncomfortable  but  illuminating 
sojourn  so  close  to  the  springs  of  nature. 

The  priests  were  as  well  pleased  with  the  pieces 
of  fine  English  cloth ;  and  as  their  own  homespun 
robes  rasped  like  hair  shirts,  they  silently  but 
uniformly  congratulated  themselves  that  the 
color  was  brown. 

Father  Abella  turned  to  Eezanov,  his  saturnine 
features  relaxed. 


80  REZANOV 

"  We  are  deeply  grateful  to  your  excellency, 
and  our  prayers  shall  follow  you  always.  Never 
have  we  received  presents  so  timely  and  so  mag 
nificent.  And  be  sure  we  shall  not  forget  the 
brave  officers  that  have  brought  you  safely  to  our 
distant  shores,  nor  the  distinguished  scholar  who 
guards  your  excellency's  health."  He  turned  to 
Langsdorff  and  repeated  himself  in  Latin.  The 
naturalist,  whose  sharp  nose  was  always  lifted 
as  if  in  protest  against  oversight  and  ready  to 
pounce  upon  and  penetrate  the  least  of  mysteries, 
bowed  with  his  hand  on  his  heart,  and  translated 
for  the  benefit  of  the  officers. 

11  Humph!  "  said  Davidov  in  Eussian.  "  Much 
the  Chamberlain  will  care  for  the  prayers  of  the 
Catholic  Church  if  he  has  to  go  home  with  his 
cargo.  But  he  has  a  fine  opportunity  here  for 
the  display  of  his  diplomatic  talents.  I  fancy 
they  will  avail  him  more  than  they  did  at  Naga 
saki — where  I  am  told  he  swore  more  than  once 
when  he  should  have  kowtowed  and  grinned." 

"  I  shouldn't  like  to  see  him  grin,"  replied 
Khostov,  as  they  finally  started  for  the  out-build 
ings.  "  If  he  could  go  as  far  as  that  he  would 
be  the  most  terrible  man  living.  Were  it  not  for 
the  fire  in  him  that  melts  the  iron  just  so  often 


KEZANOV  81 

he  would  be  crafty  and  cruel  instead  of  subtle  and 
firm.  He  is  a  fortunate  man !  There  were  many 
fairies  at  his  cradle!  I  have  always  envied  him, 
and  now  he  is  going  to  win  that  beautiful  Dona 
Concha.  She  will  look  at  none  of  us." 

"  We  will  doubtless  meet  others  as  beautiful 
at  the  ball  to-night, "  said  Davidov  philosophic 
ally.  "  You  are  not  in  love  with  a  girl  who  has 
barely  spoken  to  you,  I  suppose. " 

"  She  had  almost  given  me  a  rose  this  morn 
ing,  when  Rezanov,  who  was  flattering  the  good 
Dona  Ignacia  with  a  moment  of  his  attention, 
turned  too  soon.  I  might  have  been  air.  She 
looked  straight  through  me.  Such  eyes!  Such 
teeth !  Such  a  form !  She  is  the  most  enchanting 
girl  I  have  ever  seen.  And  he  will  monopolize 
her  without  troubling  to  notice  whether  we  even 
admire  her  or  not.  Pray  heaven  he  does  not 
break  her  heart." 

"  He  is  honorable.  One  must  admit  that,  if 
he  does  fancy  his  own  will  was  a  personal  gift 
from  the  Almighty.  Perhaps  she  will  break  his. 
I  never  saw  a  more  accomplished  flirt." 

"  I  know  women,"  replied  the  shrewder  Khos- 
tov.  "  When  men  like  Rezanov  make  an  effort 
to  please "  He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 


82  EEZANOV 

' '  Some  men  are  the  offspring  of  Mars  and  Venus 
and  most  of  us  are  not.  We  can  at  least  be  phil 
osophers.  Let  us  hope  the  dinner  will  be  ex 
cellent/' 


VII 

IT  proved  to  be  the  most  delicate  and  savory 
repast  that  had  excited  their  appetites  this  side 
of  Europe.  The  friars  had  their  consolations, 
and  even  Dona  Ignacia  Argiiello  was  less  gastro 
nomic  than  Father  Landaeta.  Rezanov,  whose 
epicurism  had  survived  a  year  of  dried  fish  and 
the  coarse  luxuries  of  his  managers,  suddenly 
saw  all  life  in  the  light  of  the  humorist,  and  told 
so  many  amusing  versions  of  his  adventures  in 
the  wilderness,  and  even  of  his  misadventure  with 
Japan,  that  the  priests  choked  over  their  wine, 
and  Langsdorff,  who  had  not  a  grain  of  humor, 
swelled  with  pride  in  his  chance  relationship  to 
a  man  who  seemed  able  to  manipulate  every 
string  in  the  human  network. 

"  He  will  succeed,  "  he  thought.  "  He  will 
succeed.  I  almost  hoped  he  would  not,  he  is  so 
indifferent  —  I  might  almost  say  so  hostile  to  my 
own  scientific  adventures.  But  when  he  is  in  this 
mood,  when  those  cold  eyes  brim  with  laughter 
and  ordinary  humanity,  I  am  nothing  better  than 
his  slave." 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 


84  EEZANOV 

Kezanov,  in  reply  to  an  entreaty  from  Father 
Uria  to  tell  them  more  of  his  mission  and  of  the 
strange  picture-book  country  they  had  never 
hoped  to  hear  of  at  first  hand,  assumed  a  tone 
of  great  frankness  and  intimacy.  "  We  were, 
with  astounding  cleverness,  treated  from  the  first 
like  an  audience  in  a  new  theatre.  After  we  had 
solemnly  been  towed  by  a  string  of  boats  to 
anchor,  under  the  Papen  mountains,  all  Naga 
saki  appeared  to  turn  out,  men,  women,  and  chil 
dren.  Thousands  of  little  boats,  decorated  with 
flags  by  day  and  colored  lanterns  by  night,  and 
filled  with  people  in  gala  attire,  swarmed  about 
us,  gazed  at  us  through  telescopes,  were  so  thick 
on  the  bay  one  could  have  traversed  it  on  foot. 
The  imperial  sailors  were  distinguished  by  their 
uniforms  of  a  large  blue  and  white  check,  suggest 
ing  the  pinafores  of  a  brobdignagian  baby.  The 
barges  of  the  imperial  princes  were  covered  with 
blue  and  white  awnings  and  towed  to  the  sound 
of  kettledrums  and  the  loud  measured  cries  of 
the  boatmen.  At  night  the  thousands  of  illum 
inated  lanterns,  of  every  color  and  shade,  the 
waving  of  fans,  the  incessant  chattering,  and  the 
more  harmonious  noise  that  rose  unceasingly 
above,  made  up  a  scene  as  brilliant  as  it  was 


EEZANOV  85 

juvenile  and  absurd.  In  the  daytime  it  was  more 
interesting,  with  the  background  of  hills  culti 
vated  to  their  crests  in  the  form  of  terraces  varied 
with  rice  fields,  hamlets,  groves,  and  paper  villas 
encircled  with  little  gardens  as  glowing  and 
various  of  color  as  the  night  lanterns.  When,  at 
last,  I  was  graciously  permitted  to  have  a  res 
idence  on  a  point  of  land  called  Megasaki,  I  was 
conveyed  thither  in  the  pleasure  barge  of  the 
Prince  of  Fisi.  There  was  place  for  sixty  oars 
men,  but  as  one  of  the  few  tokens  of  respect  I 
was  enabled  to  record  for  the  comfort  of  the 
mighty  sovereign  whose  representative  I  was, 
the  barge  was  towed  by  a  long  line  of  boats, 
decorated  with  flags,  the  voices  of  the  rowers  ris 
ing  and  falling  in  measured  cadence  as  they  an 
nounced  to  all  Japan  the  honor  about  to  be  con 
ferred  upon  her.  I  sat  on  a  chair  of  state  in  the 
central  compartment  of  the  barge,  and  quite  alone ; 
my  suite  standing  on  a  raised  deck  beyond.  Be 
fore  me  on  a  table,  marvellously  inlaid,  were  my 
credentials.  I  was  surrounded  by  curtains  of  sky- 
blue  silk  and  panels  of  polished  lacquer  inwrought 
with  the  imperial  arms  in  gold.  The  awning  of 
blue  and  white  silk  was  lined  with  a  delicate  and 
beautiful  tapestry,  and  the  reverse  side  of  the 


86  KEZANOV 

silken  partitions  were  of  canvas  painted  by  the 
masters  of  the  country.  The  polished  floor  was 
covered  by  a  magnificent  carpet  woven  with 
alarming  dragons  whose  jaws  pointed  directly  at 
my  chair  of  state.  And  such  an  escort  and  such 
a  reception,  both  of  ceremony  and  of  curiosity,  no 
Eussian  had  ever  boasted  before.  Flags  waved, 
kettledrums  beat,  fans  were  flung  into  my  very 
lap  to  autograph.  The  bay,  the  hills,  were  a  blaze 
of  color  and  a  confusion  of  sound.  The  barracks 
were  hung  with  tapestries  and  gay  silks.  I,  with 
my  arms  folded  and  in  full  uniform,  my  features 
composed  to  the  impassivity  of  one  of  their  own 
wooden  gods,  was  the  central  figure  of  this  mag 
nificent  farce;  and  it  may  be  placed  to  the  ever 
lasting  credit  of  the  discipline  of  courts  that  not 
one  of  my  staff  smiled.  They  stood  with  their 
arms  folded  and  their  eyes  on  the  inlaid  devices 
at  their  feet. 

1  i  When  this  first  act  was  over  and  I  was  locked 
in  for  the  night  and  felt  myself  able  to  kick  my 
way  through  the  flimsy  walls,  yet  as  completely  a 
prisoner  as  if  they  had  been  of  stone,  I  will  con 
fess  that  I  fell  into  a  most  undiplomatical  rage; 
and  when  I  found  myself  played  with  from  month 
to  month  by  a  people  I  scorned  as  a  grotesque 


EEZANOV  87 

mixture  of  barbarian  and  manikin,  I  was  al 
ternately  infuriated,  and  consumed  with  laughter 
at  the  vanity  of  men  and  nations.  * ' 

His  voice  dropped  from  its  light  ironical  note, 
and  became  harsh  and  abrupt  with  reminiscent 
disgust.  ' i  And  the  end  of  it  all  was  failure.  The 
superb  presents  of  the  Tsar  were  rejected. 
These  presents:  coats  of  black  fox  and  ermine, 
vases  of  fossil  ivory  and  of  marble,  muskets,  pis 
tols,  sabres,  magnificent  lustres,  table  services  of 
crystal  and  porcelain,  tapestries  and  carpets,  im 
mense  mirrors,  a  clock  in  the  form  of  an  elephant 
and  set  with  precious  stones,  a  portrait  of  the 
Tsar  by  Madame  le  Brun,  damasks,  furs,  velvets, 
printed  cotton,  cloths,  brocades  of  gold  and  silver, 
microscopes,  gold  and  silver  watches,  a  complete 
electrical  machine — presents,  in  all,  of  the  value 
of  three  hundred  thousand  roubles,  were  returned 
with  scant  ceremony  to  the  Nadeshda  and  I  was 
politely  told  to  leave. 

"  But  the  mortification  was  the  least  of  my 
worries.  The  object  of  the  embassy  was  to 
establish  not  only  good  will  and  friendship  be 
tween  Eussia  and  Japan,  for  which  we  cared  little, 
but  commercial  intercourse  between  this  fertile 
country  and  our  northeastern  and  barren  posses- 


88  EEZANOV 

sions.  It  would  have  been  greatly  to  the  advan 
tage  of  the  Japanese,  and  God  knows  it  would 
have  meant  much  to  us. ' ' 

Then  Kezanov,  having  tickled  the  imaginations 
and  delighted  the  curiosity  of  the  priests,  began 
to  play  upon  their  heartstrings.  His  own  voice 
vibrated  as  he  related  the  sufferings  of  the  ser 
vants  of  the  Company,  and  while  avoiding  the  no 
menclature  and  details  of  their  bodily  afflictions, 
gave  so  thrilling  a  hint  of  their  terrible  condition 
that  his  audience  gasped  with  sympathy  while  ex 
periencing  no  qualms  in  their  own  more  for 
tunate  stomachs. 

He  led  their  disarmed  understandings  as  far 
down  the  vale  of  tears  as  he  deemed  wise,  then 
permitted  himself  a  magnificent  burst  of  spon 
taneity. 

"  I  must  tell  you  the  object  of  my  mission  to 
California,  my  kind  friends !  ' '  he  cried,  ' l  al 
though  I  beg  you  will  not  betray  me  to  the  other 
powers  until  I  think  it  wise  to  speak  myself.  But 
I  must  have  your  sympathy  and  advice.  It  has 
long  been  my  desire  to  establish  relations  between 
Eussia  and  Spain  that  should  be  of  mutual 
benefit  to  the  colonies  of  both  in  this  part  of 
the  western  hemisphere.  I  have  told  you  of 


EEZANOV  89 

the  horrible  condition  and  needs  of  my  men. 
They  must  have  a  share  in  the  superfluities 
of  this  most  prodigal  land.  But  I  make  no 
appeal  to  your  mercy.  Trade  is  not  founded 
on  charity.  You  well  know  we  have  much  you 
are  in  daily  need  of.  There  should  be  a  bi- 
yearly  interchange. ' '  He  paused  and  looked  from 
one  staring  face  to  the  other.  He  had  been  wise 
in  his  appeal.  They  were  deeply  gratified  at 
being  taken  into  his  confidence  and  virtually 
asked  to  outwit  the  military  authorities  they  de 
tested. 

Kezanov  continued. 

"  I  have  brought  the  Juno  heavy  laden,  my 
fathers,  and  for  the  deliberate  purpose  of  barter. 
She  is  full  of  Russian  and  Boston  goods.  I  shall 
do  my  utmost  to  persuade  your  Governor  to  give 
me  of  his  corn  and  other  farinaceous  foods  in  ex 
change.  It  may  be  against  your  laws,  and  I  am 
well  aware  that  for  the  treaty  I  must  wait,  but  I 
beg  you  in  the  name  of  humanity  to  point  out  to 
his  excellency  a  way  in  which  he  can  at  the  same 
time  relieve  our  necessities  and  placate  his  con 
science.  ' ' 

"We  will!  We  will!  "  cried  Father  Abella. 
"  Would  that  you  had  come  in  the  disguise  of  a 


90  EEZANOV 

common  sea-captain,  for  we  have  hoodwinked  the 
comandantes  more  than  once.  But  aside  from 
the  suspicion  and  distrust  in  which  Spain  holds 
Bussia,  with  so  distinguished  a  visitor  as  your  ex 
cellency,  it  would  be  impossible  to  traffic  unde 
tected.  But  there  must  be  a  way  out.  There 
shall  be!  And  will  your  excellency  kindly  let  us 
see  the  cargo?  I  am  sure  there  is  much  we  sadly 
need:  cloth,  linen,  cotton,  boots,  shoes,  casks,  bot 
tles,  glasses,  plates,  shears,  axes,  implements  of 
husbandry,  saws,  sheep-shears,  iron  wares — have 
you  any  of  these  things,  Excellency?  " 

"  All  and  more.  Will  you  come  to-morrow?  " 
"  We  will!  and  one  way  or  another  they  shall 
be  ours  and  you  shall  have  breadstuffs  for  your 
pitiable  subjects.  We  have  as  much  need  of 
Europe  as  you  can  have  of  California,  for  Mexico 
is  dilatory  and  often  disregards  our  orders  al 
together.  One  way  or  another — we  have  your 
promise,  Excellency?  " 

"  I  shall  not  leave  California  without  accom 
plishing  what  I  came  for,"  said  Eezanov. 


VIII 

CONCHA  boxed  Kosa's  ears  twice  while  being 
dressed  for  the  ball  that  evening.  It  was  true 
that  excitement  had  reigned  throughout  the 
Presidio  all  day,  for  never  had  a  ball  been  so 
hastily  planned.  Don  Luis  had  demurred  when 
Concha  proposed  it  at  breakfast;  officially  to  en 
tertain  strangers  not  yet  officially  received  ex 
ceeded  his  authority.  Concha,  waxing  stubborn 
with  opposition,  vowed  that  she  would  give  the 
ball  herself  if  he  did  not.  Business,  immediately 
afterward,  took  the  Comandante  ad.  in.  down  to 
the  Battery  at  Yerba  Buena.  Before  he  left  he 
gave  orders  that  the  large  hall  in  the  barracks, 
where  balls  usually  were  held,  should  be  locked 
and  the  key  given  up  to  no  one  but  himself.  He 
returned  in  the  afternoon  to  find  that  Concha 
had  outwitted  him.  The  sala  of  the  Coman 
dante  's  house  was  very  large.  The  furniture  had 
been  removed  and  the  walls  hung  with  flags,  those 
of  Spain  on  three  sides,  the  Russian,  borrowed  by 
Santiago  from  the  ship,  at  the  head  of  the  room. 
Concha  laughed  gayly  as  Luis  stormed  about  the 
sala  rasping  his  spurs  on  the  bare  floor. 


92  EEZANOV 

"  Whitewashed  walls  for  guests  from  St. 
Petersburg!  "  she  jeered,  as  Luis  menaced  the 
flags.  "  We  have  little  enough  to  offer.  Besides 
— what  more  wise  than  to  flaunt  our  flag  in  the 
face  of  the  Eussian  bear?  Their  flag,  of  course, 
is  a  mere  idle  compliment.  Let  me  tell  you  two 
things,  Luis  mio :  this  morning  I  invited  the  Rus 
sians  to  dance  to-night,  and  told  Padre  Abella  to 
ask  all  our  neighbors  of  the  Mission  besides ;  and 
Eafaella  Sal  helped  me  to  drape  every  one  of 
those  flags.  When  I  told  her  you  might  tear  them 
down,  she  vowed  that  if  you  did  she  would  dance 
all  night  with  the  Bostonian." 

Luis  lifted  his  shoulders  and  moustache  to  ex 
press  an  attitude  of  contemptuous  resignation, 
but  his  face  darkened,  and  a  moment  later  he  left 
the  room  and  strolled  up  the  square  to  the  grat 
ing  of  Eafaella  Sal. 

Concha  well  knew  that  the  frank  gray  eyes  of 
the  Bostonian — all  citizens  of  the  United  States 
were  Bostonians  in  that  part  of  the  world, 
for  only  Boston  skippers  had  the  enterprise 
to  venture  so  far — were  for  no  one  but  her 
self.  But  his  face  was  bony  and  freckled,  and  his 
figure  less  in  height  and  vigor  than  her  own. 
He  was  rich  and  well-born,  but  shy  and  very 


EEZANOV  93 

modest.  Concha  Argiiello,  La  Favorita  of  Cali 
fornia,  was  for  some  such  dashing  caballero 
as  Don  Antonio  Castro  of  Monterey  or 
Ignacio  Sal,  the  most  adventurous  rider  of  the 
north.  Meanwhile  he  could  look  at  her  and  adore 
her  in  secret,  and  Dona  Rafaella  Sal  was  very 
kind  and  danced  as  well  as  himself.  He  never 
dreamed  that  he  was  being  used  as  a  stalking 
horse  to  keep  alive  in  the  best  match  in  the  Cali- 
fornias  the  jealous  desire  for  exclusive  possession 
that  had  animated  him  in  1800  when  he  had  ap 
plied  through  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico  for  royal 
consent  to  his  marriage  with  the  Favorita  of 
her  year.  That  was  six  years  ago  and  never  a 
word  had  come  from  Madrid.  Luis  was  faith 
ful,  but  men  were  men,  and  girls  grew  older  every 
day.  So  the  wise  Rafaella  was  alternately  in 
different  and  alluring,  the  object  of  more  admira 
tion  than  a  maid  could  always  repel,  yet  with 
wells  of  sentiment  that  only  one  man  could  dis 
cover.  And  the  American  was  patient,  and  even 
had  he  known,  would  not  in  the  least  have  minded 
the  use  she  made  of  him.  He  still  could  look  at 
Concha  Argiiello. 

William    Sturgis    had    sailed    in    one    of    his 
father's  ships,  now  six  years  ago,  from  Boston 


94  KEZANOV 

in  search  of  health.  The  ship  in  a  dense  fog  had 
gone  on  the  rocks  in  the  straits  between  the 
Farallones  and  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  He 
alone,  and  after  long  hours  of  struggle  with  the 
wicked  currents,  not  even  knowing  in  what  direc 
tion  land  might  be,  was  flung,  senseless,  on  the 
shore  below  the  Fort.  For  the  next  month  he  was 
an  invalid  in  the  house  of  the  Comandante. 
Fortunately,  his  papers  and  money  were  sewn  in 
an  oilskin  belt  and  his  father's  name  was  well 
known  in  California.  Moreover,  there  never  was  a 
more  likable  youth.  His  illness  interested  all  the 
matrons  and  maids  of  the  Presidio  in  his  fate; 
when  he  recovered,  his  good  dancing  and  unsel 
fishness  gave  him  permanent  place  in  the  regard 
of  the  women,  while  his  entire  absence  of  beauty, 
and  his  ability  to  hold  his  own  in  the  mess  room, 
established  his  position  with  the  men. 

In  due  course  word  of  his  plight  reached  Bos 
ton,  and  a  ship  was  immediately  despatched,  not 
only  to  bring  the  castaway  home,  but  with  the 
fine  wardrobe  necessary  to  a  young  gentleman 
of  his  station.  But  the  same  ship  brought  word 
of  his  father's  death — his  mother  had  gone  long 
since — and  as  there  were  brothers  enamored  of 
the  business  he  hated,  he  decided  to  remain  in 


EEZANOV  95 

the  country  that  had  won  his  heart  and  given 
him  health.  For  some  time  there  was  demur  on 
the  part  of  the  authorities;  Spain  welcomed  no 
foreigners  in  her  colonies.  But  Sturgis  swore 
a  mighty  oath  that  he  would  never  despatch  a 
letter  uninspected  by  the  Comandante,  that  he 
would  make  no  excursions  into  the  heart  of  the 
country,  that  he  would  neither  engage  in  traffic 
nor  interfere  in  politics.  Then  having  already 
won  the  affections  of  the  Governor,  he  was  per 
mitted  to  remain,  even  to  rent  an  acre  of  land 
from  the  Church  in  the  sheltered  Mission  valley, 
and  build  himself  a  house.  Here  he  raised  fruit 
and  vegetables  for  his  own  hospitable  table, 
chickens  and  game  cocks.  Books  and  other  lux 
uries  came  by  every  ship  from  Boston;  until  for 
a  long  interval  ships  came  no  more.  One  of  these 
days,  when  the  power  of  the  priests  had  abated, 
and  the  jealousy  which  would  keep  all  Califor- 
nians  landless  but  themselves  was  counterbalanced 
by  a  great  increase  in  population,  he  meant  to 
have  a  ranch  down  in  the  south  where  the  sun 
shone  all  the  year  round  and  he  could  ride  half 
the  day  with  his  vaqueros  after  the  finest  cattle 
in  the  country.  He  never  should  marry  because 
he  could  not  marry  Concha  Argiiello,  but  he  could 


96  EEZANOV 

think  of  her,  see  her  sometimes;  and  in  a  land 
where  a  man  was  neither  frozen  in  winter  nor 
grilled  in  summer,  where  life  could  be  led  in  the 
open,  and  the  tendency  was  to  idle  and  dream, 
domestic  happiness  called  in  a  feebler  note  than 
in  less  equable  climes.  In  his  heart  he  was  des 
perately  jealous  of  Concha's  favored  cavaliers, 
but  it  was  a  jealousy  without  hatred,  and  his  kind 
earnest  often  humorous  eyes  were  always  assur 
ing  his  lady  of  an  imperishable  desire  to  serve 
her  without  reward.  Of  course  Concha  treated 
him  with  as  little  consideration  as  so  humble  a 
swain  deserved;  but  in  her  heart  she  liked  him 
better  than  either  Castro  or  Sal,  for  he  talked 
to  her  of  something  besides  rodeos  and  balls, 
racing  and  cock-fights ;  he  had  taught  her  English 
and  lent  her  many  books.  Moreover,  he  neither 
sighed  nor  languished,  nor  ever  had  sung  at  her 
grating.  But  she  regarded  him  merely  as  an 
intelligence,  a  well  of  refreshment  in  her  stagnant 
life,  never  as  a  man. 

"  Kosa,"  she  said  as  she  caught  her  hair  into 
a  high  golden  comb  that  had  been  worn  in  Spain 
by  many  a  beauty  of  the  house  of  Moraga,  and 
spiked  the  knot  with  two  long  pins  globed  at  the 
end  with  gold,  while  the  maid  fastened  her  slip- 


EEZANOV  97 

pers  and  smoothed  the  pink  silk  stockings  over 
the  arched  thin  instep  above;  "  what  is  a  lover 
like?  Is  it  like  meeting  one  of  the  saints  of 
heaven?  ' 

"  No,  senorita." 

"  Like  what,  then?  " 

"  Like — like  nothing  but  himself,  senorita. 
You  would  not  have  him  otherwise. " 

"  Oh,  stupid  one!  Hast  thou  no  imagination? 
Fancy  any  man  being  well  enough  as  he  is !  For 
instance,  there  is  Don  Antonio,  who  is  so  hand 
some  and  fiery,  and  Don  Ignacio,  who  can  sing 
and  dance  and  ride  as  no  one  else  in  all  the  Cali- 
fornias,  and  Don  Weeliam  Sturgis,  who  is  very 
clever  and  true.  If  I  could  roll  them  into  one — 
a  tamale  of  corn  and  chicken  and  peppers — there 
would  be  a  man  almost  to  my  liking.  But  even 
then — not  quite.  And  one  man — what  nonsense! 
I  have  too  much  color  to-night,  Eosa. ' ' 

"  No,  senorita,  you  have  never  been  so  beauti 
ful.  When  the  lover  comes  and  you  love  him, 
senorita,  you  will  think  him  greater  than  our  nat 
ural  king  and  lord,  and  all  other  men  poor  In 
dians.  ' ' 

"  But  how  shall  I  know?  " 

"  Your  heart  will  tell  you,  senorita." 


98  EEZANOV 

"  My  heart?  My  father  and  my  mother  will 
choose  for  me  a  husband  whom  I  shall  love  as  all 
other  women  love  their  husbands — just  enough 
and  no  more.  Then — I  suppose — I  shall  never 
know!  " 

"  Would  you  marry  at  your  parents'  bidding, 
like  a  child,  senorita  I  I  do  not  think  you  would. ' ' 

Concha  looked  at  the  girl  in  astonishment,  but 
with  a  greater  astonishment  she  suddenly 
realized  that  she  would  not.  Even  her  little  fin 
gers  stiffened  in  a  rush  of  personality,  of  passion 
ate  resentment  against  the  shackles  bound  by  the 
ages  about  the  feminine  ego.  Her  individuality, 
long  budding,  burst  into  flower;  her  eyes  gazed 
far  beyond  her  radiant  image  in  the  mirror  with 
a  look  of  terrified  but  dauntless  insight;  then 
moved  slowly  to  the  girl  that  sat  weeping  on  the 
floor. 

"  I  know  not  what  thy  sin  was/'  she  said 
musingly.  "  But  I  have  heard  it  said  thou  didst 
obey  no  law  but  thine  own  will — and  his.  Why 
should  the  punishment  have  been  so  terrible? 
Thou  hast  sworn  to  me  thou  didst  not  help  to 
murder  the  woman." 

"  I  cannot  tell  you,  seiiorita.  You  will  never 
know  anything  of  sin;  but  of  love — yes,  I  think 
you  will  know  that,  .and  before  very  long. ' ' 


EEZANOV  99 

"  Before  long?  "  Concha's  lips  parted  and  the 
nervous  color  she  had  deprecated  left  her  cheeks. 
"  Wliat  meanest  thou,  Rosa?  '  Her  voice  rose 
hoarsely. 

And  the  Indian,  with  the  insight  of  her  own 
tragedy,  replied:  "  The  Russian  has  come  for 
you,  senorita.  You  will  go  with  him,  far  away  to 
the  north  and  the  snow.  These  others  never  could 
win  your  heart;  but  this  man  who  looks  like  a 
king,  and  as  if  many  women  had  loved  him,  and 
he  had  cared  little —  Oh,  senorita,  Carlos  was  only 
a  poor  Indian,  but  the  men  that  women  love  all 
have  something  that  makes  them  brothers — the 
great  Russian  and  the  poor  man  who  goes  mad 
for  a  moment  and  kills  one  woman  that  he  may 
live  with  another  for  ever.  The  great  Russian  is 
free,  but  he  is  the  same,  senorita — he  too  could 
kill  for  love,  and  such  are  the  men  we  women  die 
for!  " 

Concha,  ambitious  and  romantic,  eager  for  the 
brilliant  life  the  advent  of  this  Russian  nobleman 
seemed  to  herald,  had  assured  Santiago  that  he 
would  love  her;  but  they  had  been  the  empty 
words  of  the  Favorita  of  many  conquests; 
of  love  and  passion  she  had  known,  suspected, 
nothing.  As  she  watched  Rosa,  huddled  and  con- 


100  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

vulsed,  little  pointed  arrows  flew  into  her  brain. 
Girls  in  those  old  Spanish  days  went  to  the  altar 
with  a  serene  faith  in  miracles,  and  it  was  a 
matter  of  honor  among  those  that  preceded  their 
friends  to  abet  the  parents  in  a  custom  which 
assuredly  did  not  err  on  the  side  of  ugliness. 
Concha  had  a  larger  vocabulary  than  other  Cali- 
fornians  of  her  sex,  for  she  had  read  many  books, 
and  if  never  a  novel,  she  knew  something  of 
poetry.  Sturgis  had  filled  the  sala  with  the  so 
norous  roll  of  his  favorite  masters  and  it  had 
pleased  her  ear ;  but  the  language  of  passion  had 
been  so  many  beautiful  words,  neither*  vibrating 
nor  lingering  in  her  consciousness.  But  the  rude 
expression  of  the  miserable  woman  at  her  feet, 
whose  sobs  grew  more  uncontrollable  every  mo 
ment,  made  it  for  ever  impossible  that  she  should 
prattle  again  as  she  had  to  Santiago  and  Eezanov 
in  the  last  day  and  night;  and  although  she  felt 
as  if  straining  her  eyes  in  the  dark,  her  cheeks 
burned  once  more,  and  she  rose  uneasily  and 
walked  to  the  window. 

She  returned  in  a  moment  and  stood  over  Eosa, 
but  her  voice  when  she  spoke  had  lost  its  hoarse 
ness  and  was  cold  and  irritated. 

"  Control  thyself, "  she  said.     "  And  go  and 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  101 

bathe  thine  eyes.  Wouldst  look  like  a  tomato  when 
it  is  time  to  pass  the  dulces  and  wines?  And 
think  no  more  of  thy  lover  until  he  can  come  out 
of  prison  and  marry  thee."  She  drew  herself 
away  as  the  woman  attempted  to  clutch  her  skirts. 
"  Go,"  she  said.  "  The  musicians  are  tuning." 


IX 

"  THE  sash,  Excellency?  "  Jon  longed  to  see 
his  master  in  full  regalia  once  more,  and  after 
all,  was  not  this  an  embassy  of  a  sort?  But 
Bezanov,  who  already  regarded  his  reflection 
with  some  humor,  shook  his  head. 

"  I'll  go  as  far  as  decency  permits,  for  no  one 
is  so  impressed  by  external  magnificence  as  the 
Spaniard.  But  full  dress  uniform  and  orders  are 
enough;  an  ambassador's  sash  and  they  might 
suspect  I  took  them  for  the  children  they  are. 
Children  are  not  always  fools.  My  stock  is  too 
tight.  Bemember  that  I  am  to  dance,  and  am  too 
tall  for  most  women's  pretty  little  ears.  And  I 
doubt  if  an  ear  is  less  thirsty  for  being  so  pro 
vocatively  screened." 

Jon,  a  ' t  prince  ' '  whose  family  had  fallen  upon 
evil  days  long  since,  but  whose  thin  clever  fingers 
were  no  mean  inheritance,  unwound  and  read 
justed  the  folds  of  soft  batiste,  that  most  be 
coming  neck  vesture  man  has  ever  worn.  He 
would  fain  have  pressed  the  matter  of  the 
sash,  but  Eezanov,  most  indulgent  of  masters 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  103 

to  this  devoted  servant,  was  never  patient  of  in 
sistence.  Jon  also  regretted  the  powdered  wig 
and  queue,  which  he  privately  thought  more  be 
fitting  a  fine  gentleman  than  his  own  hair,  even 
though  the  latter  were  thick  and  bright.  He  said 
tentatively : 

' '  I  notice  these  Calif ornians  still  wear  the  hair 
long;  and  with  their  gay  ribbons  and  showy  hats 
look  much  better  no  doubt  than  if  they  followed 
a  fashion  of  which  it  would  seem  they  had  not 
heard — and  perhaps  do  not  admire.  I  ventured 
to  pack  two  of  your  excellency's  wigs  when  we 
were  leaving  St.  Petersburg— 

i '  Good  heavens,  no !  "  cried  Rezanov,  rising  to 
his  feet  and  casting  a  last  impatient  glance  at  the 
mirror.  "  When  a  man  has  escaped  from  a  fur 
nace  does  he  run  back  of  his  own  accord?  My 
brain  would  cook  under  a  wig  in  this  climate,  and 
I  need  all  my  wits — for  more  reasons  than  one." 
And  he  went  up  on  deck. 

There,  while  awaiting  his  horses  and  escort 
he  had  another  glimpse  of  the  happy  Arcadian 
life  of  the  Californians.  Over  the  sand  hills 
through  which  he  had  floundered  twice  that  day 
rode  young  men  in  gala  attire,  a  maiden,  as  color- 
ous  as  the  sunset  along  the  western  summits,  on 


104  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

the  saddle  before  them.  These  saddles  were  heavy 
with  silver,  the  blanket  beneath  was  embroidered 
with  both  silver  and  gold.  Gay  light  laughter 
floated  out  on  the  cool  evening  breeze  to  the  little 
ship  in  the  harbor. 

"  It  has  been  a  good  day,"  thought  Eezanov, 
lowering  his  glass.  "  It  is  like  her  to  arrange  so 
charming  a  finale. " 

When  he  arrived  at  the  Presidio  the  guitars 
were  tinkling  and  the  sala  was  full  of  eager  and 
sombre  faces.  The  Californians  had  come  early, 
determined  to  witness  the  arrival  of  the  Eussians. 
Very  pretty  most  of  the  girls  were,  and  by  no 
means  a  bevy  of  brunettes.  There  was  hair  of 
every  shade  of  brown,  looped  over  the  ears,  drawn 
high  and  confined  by  the  high  comb  and  the  long 
pins;  and  Eafaella  Sal,  with  her  red  hair  and 
gray  eyes,  was  still  celebrated  as  a  beauty,  al 
though  no  longer  in  her  first  youth — she  was 
twenty-two,  and  should  have  been  a  matron  and 
mother  long  since!  But  she  looked  very  hand 
some  and  coquettish  in  her  daring  yellow  frock 
that  no  other  red  head  would  have  dared  to  wear, 
and  she  displayed  three  ropes  of  Baja  California 
pearls,  one  strand  being  the  common  possession. 
The  matrons,  young  and  old,  wore  heavy  satins 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  105 

or  brocades,  either  red  or  yellow,  but  the  maids 
were  in  flowered  silks,  sometimes  with  coquettish 
little  jacket,  generally  with  long  pointed  bodice 
and  full  flowing  skirt.  Concha's  frock  was  made 
in  this  fashion,  but  quite  different  otherwise; 
an  aunt  in  the  City  of  Mexico  being  mindful  at 
whiles  of  the  cravings  of  relatives  in  exile.  It 
was  of  a  soft  shimmering  white  stuff  covered 
with  gold  spangles  and  cut  to  reveal  her  young 
neck  and  arms.  She  stood  at  the  head  of  the 
room  with  her  mother  as  Eezanov  entered,  and  he 
noticed  for  the  first  time  how  tall  she  was.  She 
held  herself  proudly;  mischievous  twinkle,  nor 
child-like  trust,  nor  flashing  coquetry  possessed 
her  eyes;  which,  even  more  star-like  than  usual, 
nevertheless  looked  out  upon  her  guests  with  a 
dignified  composure.  Her  lips,  her  skin,  were 
luminous.  In  this  well  cut  evening  gown  he  saw 
that  her  figure  was  superb;  and  that  she  could 
command  stateliness  as  well  as  vivacity  moved 
her  toward  a  pedestal  in  his  regard  that  had  been 
occupied  by  few  and  never  long. 

Rezanov,  in  his  splendid  uniform  and  blazing 
orders,  filled  the  sala  with  his  presence  as  he 
walked  past  the  rows  of  bright  critical  eyes  to 
ward  his  hostesses.  The  young  lips  of  the  maids 


106  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

parted  with  delight  and  the  men  frowned.  For 
the  first  time  William  Sturgis  felt  the  sickness 
of  jealousy  instead  of  its  not  unagreeable  pain. 
Davidov  and  Khostov,  both  handsome  and  well- 
bred  young  men,  were  also  in  full  naval  uniform, 
and  by  no  means  ignored;  while  Langsdorff,  in 
the  severe  black  of  the  scholar,  was  an  admirable 
foil. 

Eezanov,  wondering  at  the  subtle  change  in 
Concha,  bowed  ceremoniously  and  murmured: 
"  You  will  give  me  the  first  dance,  senorita!  " 

1  i  Certainly,  Excellency.  Are  you  not  the  guest 
of  honor?  " 

She  motioned  to  the  Indian  musicians,  fiddles 
and  guitars  fairly  leapt  to  position,  and  in  a 
moment  Eezanov  enjoyed  the  novel  delusion  of 
encircling  a  girPs  floating  wraith. 

"  We  can  waltz,  you  see?  Are  you  not  sur 
prised?  ' 

"  It  is  but  one  accomplishment  the  more.  I 
feared  a  preference  for  your  native  dances,  but 
ventured  to  hope  you  would  teach  me. ' ' 

"  They  are  easy  to  learn.  You  will  wateh  us 
dance  the  contra-danza  after  this." 

"  W^ith  whom  do  you  dance  it?  ' 

Her  black  eyelashes  were  very  thick;  he  barely 
caught  the  glance  she  shot  him. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  107 

66  The  Eussian  bear  growls/'  she  said  lightly. 
"  Did  you  expect  to  dance  every  dance  with  me?  " 

"  I  came  for  no  other  purpose." 

"  You  would  have  several  duels  to  fight  to 
morrow.  ' ' 

"  I  have  no  objection." 

"  You  have  fought  others,  then?  '  Her  voice 
was  the  softer  with  the  effort  to  turn  its  edge. 

"  No  more  than  most  men,  I  suppose.  May  I 
ask  how  many  have  been  fought  for  you?  ' 

"  My  memory  is  no  better  than  yours.  Why 
should  I  burden  it  with  trifles?  " 

"  True.  It  doubtless  is  charged  with  matters 
far  more  serious  than  the  desires  of  mere  men. 
Tell  me,  senorita,  what  is  your  dearest  wish?  " 
He  had  bent  his  head  and  fixed  his  powerful  gaze 
on  her  stubborn  lashes.  As  he  hoped,  she  raised 
startled  eyes  in  which  an  angry  glitter  dawned. 

"  My  dearest  wish?  If  I  had  one  should  I  tell 
you?  Why  do  you  ask  me  such  a  question?  ' 

"  Because  I  lit  a  candle  at  the  Mission  to-day 
that  you  might  realize  it,"  he  answered  smiling. 

To  his  surprise  he  saw  a  flash  of  terror  in  her 
eyes  before  she  dropped  them,  and  felt  her  shiver. 
But  she  answered  coldly: 

"  You  have  wasted  a  candle,  seiior.     I  have 


108  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

never  had  a  wish  that  was  not  instantly  gratified. 
But  I  thank  you  for  the  kind  thought.  Will  you 
finish  this  waltz  with  my  friend,  and  the  fiancee 
of  Luis,  Eafaella  Sal?  She  has  quarrelled  with 
Luis,  I  see;  Don  Weeliam  is  dancing  with  Caro 
lina  Ximeno,  and  she  cares  to  waltz  with  no  one 
else.  Pardon  me  if  I  say  that  no  one  has  ever 
waltzed  as  well  as  your  excellency,  and  I  must 
not  be  selfish." 

"  I  will  release  you  if  you  are  tired,  but  other 
wise  I  shall  do  myself  the  honor  to  waltz  with 
your  friend  later." 

"  I  must  look  after  my  other  guests,"  she  said 
coldly;  and  he  was  led  with  what  grace  he  could 
summon  to  the  fair  but  sulky  Rafaella. 

' '  How  am  I  to  help  flirting  with  that  girl  ?  "  he 
thought  as  he  mechanically  guided  another  light 
and  graceful  partner  through  the  crowded  room. 
"  If  she  were  one  girl  I  might  resist.  But  since 
eleven  o'clock  yesterday  morning  she  has  been 
three.  And  if  she  was  twenty  yesterday,  twelve 
this  morning,  she  is  twenty-eight  to-night,  and 
this  might  be  a  court  ball  in  Madrid.  I  shall  leave 
the  day  after  I  bring  the  Governor  to  terms. ' ' 

He  sat  beside  Dona  Ignacia  during  the  contra- 
danza  and  found  the  scene  remarkably  brilliant 


REZANOV  109 

and  animated  considering  the  primitive  condi 
tions.  In  addition  to  the  bright  flags  on  the  wall 
and  the  vivid  colors  of  the  women,  the  officers  of 
the  Presidio  and  forts  wore  full  dress  uniform, 
either  white  coats  with  red  velvet  vest,  red  pan 
taloons  and  sash,  or  white  trousers  and  scarlet 
coat  and  waistcoat  faced  with  green.  The  young 
men  from  the  Mission  wore  small  clothes  of  a 
dove-colored  cloth,  fastened  at  the  knee  with  silver 
buckles,  and  white  silk  stockings;  two  gentlemen 
from  Monterey  wore  the  evening  costume  of  the 
capital,  black  silk  small  clothes,  with  white  silk 
waistcoat  and  stockings,  and  much  fine  lawn  and 
lace.  The  room  was  well  lighted  by  many  wicks 
stuck  in  lumps  of  tallow.  The  Indian  musicians, 
soldiers  recruited  from  a  superior  tribe  in  the 
Santa  Clara  valley,  were  clad  almost  entirely  in 
scarlet,  and  danced  sometimes  as  they  played; 
and  Indian  girls,  in  short  red  skirts  and  snow- 
white  smocks  open  at  the  throat,  their  long  hair 
decorated  with  flowers  and  ribbons,  already 
passed  about  wine  and  dulces.  The  windows 
were  open.  The  sweet  night  air  blew  in. 

The  contra-danza  was  not  unlike  the  square 
dances  of  England  except  that  it  was  far  more 
graceful,  and  the  men  rivalled  the  women  in  their 


110  EEZANOV 

supple  glidings  and  bendings,  doublings  and 
swayings.  Concha  danced  with  Ignacio  Sal,  Ba- 
faella  with  William  Sturgis;  their  pliant  grace, 
as  facile  as  grain  rippling  before  the  wind,  would 
have  put  the  best  ballet  in  Europe  to  the  blush. 
Concha 's  skirts  swept  Rezanov's  feet,  her  little 
slippers  twinkled  before  his  admiring  eyes,  and 
he  lost  no  sinuous  turn  or  undulation  of  her 
beautiful  figure;  but  she  never  vouchsafed  him 
a  glance. 

When  the  dance  finished  his  host  introduced 
him  to  the  prettiest  of  the  girls  and  he  paid  them 
as  many  compliments  as  their  heads  would  stand. 
He  even  took  some  trouble  to  talk  to  them,  if  only 
to  fathom  the  sources  of  their  unlikeness  to 
Concha  Argiiello.  He  concluded  that  the  gulf  that 
separated  her  from  these  charming  vivacious 
shallow  young  girls  was  not  dug  by  education 
alone.  Individualities  were  rare  enough  in  Eu 
rope;  out  here,  in  earthly,  but  sparsely  settled 
paradises,  they  must  be  rarer  still;  but  that  one 
had  wandered  into  the  lovely  shell  of  Concha 
Argiiello  he  no  longer  doubted.  The  fact  that  it 
had  developed  haphazardly,  with  little  or  no  help 
from  her  sentience,  and  was  still  fluid  and  uncer 
tain,  but  multiplied  her  in  interest  and  charm. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  111 

The  women  to  whom  he  was  accustomed  knew 
themselves,  consequently  were  no  riddle  to  a  man 
of  his  experience,  but  here  he  had  an  odd  sense 
of  having  entered  into  a  compact  in  the  dark  with 
a  girl  who  might  one  day  symbolize  some  high 
and  impassioned  ideal  he  had  cherished  in  the 
days  before  ideals  had  been  cast  aside  with  the 
negative  virtues  that  bred  them. 

As  he  coolly  studied  the  good  looks  of  the 
young  caballeros  and  the  plain  intellectual  face 
and  slight  little  figure  of  the  Bostonian,  noted 
the  utter  indifference  with  which  they  were 
treated  by  the  Favorita  of  Presidio  and  Mission, 
he  felt  a  sudden  rush  of  arrogance,  a  youthful 
tingling  of  nerves,  the  same  prophetic  sense  of 
imminent  happiness  and  power  that  his  first  con 
tact  with  the  light  electrical  air  and  the  beauty  of 
the  country  had  induced.  After  all,  he  was  but 
forty-two.  Life  on  the  whole  had  been  very  kind  to 
him.  And,  although  he  did  not  realize  it  as  yet, 
his  frame,  blighted  by  the  rigors  of  the  past  three 
years,  was  already  sensible  of  a  renewal  of 
juice  and  sap.  He  admitted  that  he  was  more  in 
terested  than  he  had  been  for  many  years,  and 
that  if  he  was  not  in  love,  he  tingled  with  a 
very  natural  masculine  desire  for  an  adventure 
with  a  pretty  girl. 


112  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

But  he  was  by  no  means  a  weak  man,  and  his 
mind  counted  the  cost  even  while  his  imagination 
hummed.  He  had  almost  decided  to  bid  Dona 
Ignacia  an  abrupt  good-night,  pleading  fatigue, 
which  his  pallor  indorsed,  when  the  door  of  the 
dining-room  was  thrown  open  to  the  liveliest  of 
fiddling,  and  a  white  hand  with  a  singular  sug 
gestion  of  tenacity  both  in  appearance  and  clasp 
took  possession  of  his  arm. 

"  My  mother  has  gone  to  Gertrudis  Eudisinda, 
who  is  crying, ' '  said  Concha.  il  It  is  my  pleasure 
to  lead  your  excellency  in  to  supper/' 

They  sat  side  by  side  at  the  head  of  the  long 
table  almost  covered  by  the  massive  service  of 
silver  and  loaded  with  evidences  of  Dona  Ig 
nacia  's  generosity  and  skill;  chickens  in  red  rice 
and  gravy,  oysters,  tamales,  dulces,  pastries, 
fruits  and  pleasant  drinks.  Luis,  with  Eafaella 
Sal  dimpling  and  sparkling  at  his  side,  and  now 
quite  resigned  to  the  semi-official  nature  of  the 
ball,  rose  and  drank  the  health  of  the  distin 
guished  guest  in  long  and  flowery  phrases.  Eez- 
anov  responded  in  briefer  but  no  less  felicitous 
vein,  and  concluded  by  remarking  that  the  only 
rift  in  the  lute  of  his  present  enchanting  experi 
ence  was  the  fear  that  whereas  he  had  nearly  died 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  113 

of  starvation  several  times  during  the  past  three 
years,  he  was  now  threatened  with  a  far  more 
ignominious  end,  so  delicious  and  irresistible  were 
the  temptations  that  beset  the  wayfarer  in  this 
most  hospitable  land.  Both  speeches  were  gayly 
applauded,  the  conversation  became  animated  and 
general,  and  Concha  dropped  her  voice  to  the  at 
tentive  ear  beside  her. 

"  You  were  very  successful  to-day  at  the  Mis 
sion,  Excellency. ' ' 

"  May  I  ask  how  you  know?  " 

"  I  never  saw  anything  so  serenely — arrogant 
ly,  perhaps  would  be  a  truer  description — trium 
phant  as  your  bearing  when  you  walked  down  our 
humble  sala  to-night.  You  looked  like  Caesar  re 
turned  from  Gaul;  but  I  suppose  that  all  great 
conquests  are  merely  the  sum  of  many  small 
ones." 

1 1  I  do  not  regard  the  friendship  of  so  shrewd  a 
man  as  Father  Abel!  a  a  trifling  conquest.  And 
according  to  yourself,  dear  senorita,  it  is  essential 
to  the  success  of  a  mission  upon  which  many  lives 
and  my  own  honor  depend. " 

"  Is  it  really  so  serious?  "  she  asked  with  a 
faint  sneer. 

He  drew  himself  up  stiffly  and  his  light  eyes 


114  K  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

glowed  with  anger.  "It  is  a  subject  I  never 
should  have  thought  of  introducing  at  a  fes 
tivity  like  this,"  he  said  suavely.  "  May  I  be 
permitted  to  compliment  you,  senorita,  upon  your 
marvellous  grace  in  the  contra-danza  1  It  quite 
turned  my  head,  and  I  am  delighted  to  hear  that 
you  will  dance  alone  after  supper. " 

Her  face  had  flushed  hotly.  She  dropped  her 
eyes  and  her  voice  trembled  as  she  replied :  ' '  You 
humiliate  me,  senor,  and  I  deserve  it.  I — my 
poor  Eosa  told  me  something  of  her  great  tragedy 
while  dressing  me,  and  for  the  moment  other 
things  seemed  unimportant.  What  is  hunger  and 
court  favor  beside  a  broken  heart  and  a  desolate 
life?  But  that  of  course  is  the  attitude  of  an 
ignorant  girl."  She  raised  her  eyes.  They  were 
soft,  and  her  voice  was  softer.  "  I  beg  that  you 
will  forgive  me,  seiior.  And  be  sure  that  I  take 
an  even  deeper  interest  in  your  great  mission 
than  yesterday.  I  have  thought  much  about  it, 
and  while  I  have  told  my  mother  nothing,  I  have 
expressed  certain  peevish  hopes  that  a  ship  would 
not  come  all  the  way  from  Sitka  without  taking 
a  hint  more  than  one  Boston  skipper  must  have 
given,  and  brought  us  many  of  the  things  we  need. 
She  is  quite  excited  over  the  prospect  of  a  new 


EEZANOV  115 

shawl  for  herself,  and  of  sending  several  as  pres 
ents  to  the  south ;  besides  many  other  things :  cot 
ton,  shoes,  kitchen  utensils.  Have  you  any  of 
these  things,  Excellency?  9 

Eezanov  stared  at  her  face,  barely  tinted  with 
color,  dully  wondering  why  it  should  be  so  differ 
ent  from  the  one,  roguish,  pathetically  innocent, 
that  had  haunted  him  all  day.  He  asked  abruptly : 

"  Which  is  the  friend  whose  little  ones  you 
envy?  You  have  made  me  wish  to  see  them  and 
her." 

"  That  is  Elena — beside  Gervasio."  She  indi 
cated  a  young  woman  with  soft  patient  brown 
eyes,  the  dignity  of  her  race  and  the  sweetness  of 
young  motherhood,  who  would  have  looked  little 
older  than  herself  had  it  not  been  for  an  already 
shapeless  figure.  "  I  can  take  you  to-morrow 
to  see  them  if  you  wish. ' ' 

She  had  cast  down  her  eyes  and  her  face  was 
white.  Still  he  groped  on. 

' '  Pardon  me  if  I  say  that  I  am  surprised  your 
parents  should  permit  such  a  woman  as  this  Rosa 
to  attend  you.  Why  should  your  happy  life  be 
disturbed  by  the  lamentations  of  an  abandoned 
creature — who  can  do  you  no  good,  and  possibly 
much  harm?  " 


116  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

Still  Concha  did  not  raise  her  eyes.  "  I  do  not 
think  poor  Eosa  would  do  anyone  harm.  But  per 
haps  it  were  as  well  she  went  elsewhere.  "We  have 
had  her  long  enough.  I  have  taken  a  dislike  to 
her.  I  reproach  myself  bitterly,  but  I  cannot  help 
it.  I  should  like  never  to  see  her  again." 

"  What  has  she  told  you!  '  Concha  glanced 
up  swiftly.  His  eyes  were  blazing.  She  felt  quite 
certain  that  he  rolled  a  Eussian  oath  under  his 
tongue,  and  she  made  a  slight  involuntary  motion 
toward  him,  her  lips  trembling  apart. 

' '  Nothing, ' '  she  murmured.  "  I  do  not  know — 
I  do  not  know.  But  I  no  longer  wish  her  near  me. 
She — life  is  very  strange  and  terrible,  seiior. 
You  know  it  well — I,  so  little." 

Eezanov  felt  his  breath  short  and  his  hands  cold. 
For  a  moment  he  made  no  reply.  Then  he  smiled 
charmingly  and  said  in  the  conventional  tone  that 
was  ever  at  his  command :  "  Of  course  you  know 
little  of  life  in  this  Arcadia.  One  who  hopes  to  be 
numbered  among  the  best  of  your  friends  prays 
that  you  never  may.  Yes,  senorita,  life  is  strange 
— strangely  commonplace  and  disillusionizing — 
but  sometimes  picturesque.  Believe  me  when  I 
say  that  nothing  stranger  has  ever  befallen  me 
than  to  find  out  here  on  the  lonely  brink  of 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  117 

a  continent  nearly  twenty  thousand  versts  from 
Europe,  a  girl  of  sixteen  with  the  grand  manner, 
and  the  intellect  without  the  detestable  idiosyn 
crasies  of  the  fashionable  bas  bleus  I  have  hitherto 
had  the  misfortune  to  encounter. " 

She  was  tapping  the  table  slowly  with  her  fork, 
and  he  noted  that  her  soft  childish  mouth  was  set. 
"  No  doubt  you  are  quite  right  to  put  me  off," 
she  said  finally,  and  in  a  voice  as  even  as  his  own. 
"  And  my  intellect  would  do  me  little  good  if  it 
did  not  teach  me  to  ignore  mysteries  I  can  never 
hope  to  fathom.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  life 
in  your  sense  in  this  forgotten  corner  of  the 
world,  nor  ever  will  be  in  my  time.  If  you  come 
back  and  visit  us  twenty  years  hence  you  will 
find  me  fat  and  worn  like  Elena,  and  busy  every 
minute  like  my  mother — unless,  indeed,  I  marry 
Don  Weeliam  Sturgis  and  become  a  great  lady 
in  Boston.  It  would  not  be  so  mean  a  fate." 

Kezanov  darted  a  look  of  angry  contempt  at  the 
pale  young  man  who  was  eating  little  and  miser 
ably  watching  the  handsome  pair  at  the  head  of 
the  table.  "  You  will  not  marry  him!  "  he  said 
briefly. 

"  I  could  do  far  worse."  Concha's  lashes 
framed  an  adorable  glance  that  sent  the  blood  to 


118  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

the  hair  of  the  sensitive  youth.  "  You  have  no 
idea  how  clever  and  good  he  is.  And — Madre  de 
Dios ! — I  am  so  tired  of  California. ' ' 

"  But  you  are  a  part  of  it — the  very  symbol  of 
its  future,  it  seems  to  me.  I  wish  I  had  a  sculptor 
in  my  suite.  I  should  make  him  model  you,  label 
the  statue  California,  and  erect  it  on  the  peak 
of  that  big  island  out  there. ' ' 

"  That  is  very  poetical,  but  after  all  you  are 
only  saying  that  I  am  a  pretty  savage  with  an 
education  that  will  be  more  common  in  the  next 
generation.  It  is  little  consolation  for  an  ex 
istence  where  the  most  exciting  event  in  a  life 
time  is  the  arrival  of  a  foreign  ship  or  the  inau 
guration  of  a  governor. "  And  once  more  she 
smiled  at  Sturgis.  He  raised  his  glass  impul 
sively,  and  she  hers  in  gay  response.  A  moment 
later  she  gave  the  signal  to  leave  the  table.  Cez- 
anov  followed  her  back  to  the  sala  chewing  the 
cud  of  many  reflections. 


CONCHA  had  eaten  no  supper.  As  she  entered 
the  sala  she  clapped  her  hands,  the  guests  ranged 
themselves  against  the  wall,  the  musicians,  live 
lier  than  ever,  flew  to  their  instruments ;  and,  with 
the  drifting  swaying  movement  she  could  assume 
at  will,  she  went  slowly,  absently,  to  the  middle  of 
the  room.  Then  she  let  her  head  drop  backward 
as  if  with  the  weight  of  her  hair,  and  Bezanov, 
vaguely  angry,  expected  one  of  those  appeals  to  the 
senses  for  which  Spanish  women  of  another  sort 
were  notorious.  But  Concha,  after  tapping  the 
floor  alternately  with  the  points  and  the  wooden 
heels  of  her  slippers,  for  a  few  moments,  suddenly 
made  an  imperious  gesture  to  Ignacio  Sal.  He 
sprang  to  her  side,  took  her  hand,  and  once  more 
there  was  the  same  monotonous  tapping  of  toes 
and  heels.  Then  they  whirled  apart,  bent  their 
lithe  backs  until  their  brows  almost  touched  the 
floor  in  a  salute  of  mock  admiration,  and  danced 
to  and  from  each  other,  coquetry  in  the  very  tilt 
of  her  eyebrows,  the  bare  semblance  of  masculine 
indulgence  on  his  eager  passionate  face.  Sud- 


120  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

denly  to  the  surprise  of  all,  she  snapped  her  fin 
gers  directly  under  his  nose,  waved  her  hand, 
turned  her  back  and  made  a  peremptory  gesture 
to  that  other  enamored  young  swain,  Captain  An 
tonio  Castro  of  Monterey.  Don  Ignacio,  sur 
prised  and  discomfited,  retired  amidst  the  jeers 
of  his  friends,  and  Concha,  with  her  most  vivacious 
and  gracious  manner,  met  Castro  half-way,  and 
taking  his  hand  danced  up  and  down  the  sala, 
slowly  and  with  many  improvisations.  Then,  as 
they  returned  to  the  centre  of  the  room  and 
stepped  lightly  apart  before  joining  in  a  gay 
whirl,  she  snapped  her  fingers  under  his  nose, 
made  a  gesture  of  dismissal  over  her  shoulder 
and  fluttered  an  uplifted  hand  in  the  direction  of 
Sturgis.  Again  there  was  delighted  laughter, 
again  a  discomfited  knight  and  a  triumphant 
partner. 

"  Concha  always  gives  us  something  we  do  not 
expect, "  said  Santiago  to  Eezanov,  whose  eyes 
were  twinkling.  "  The  other  girls  dance  El  Son 
and  La  Jota  very  gracefully — yes.  But  Conchita 
dances  with  her  head,  and  the  musicians  and  the 
partner,  when  she  takes  one,  have  all  they  can  do 
to  follow.  She  will  choose  you  next,  senor." 

Eezanov  turned  cold,   and  measured  the  dis- 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  121 

tance  to  the  door.  "  I  hope  not!  "  lie  said.  "  I 
should  hate  nothing  so  much  as  to  make  an  ex 
hibition  of  myself.  The  dances  I  know — that  is 
all  very  well — but  to  improvise — for  the  love  of 
heaven  help  me  to  get  out." 

But  Santiago,  who  was  watching  his  sister  in 
tently,  replied:  "  Wait  a  moment,  Excellency.  I 
do  not  think  she  will  choose  another.  I  know  by 
her  feet  that  she  intends  to  dance  El  Son — in  her 
own  way,  of  course — after  all." 

Concha  circled  about  the  room  twice  with  Stur- 
gis,  lifted  him  to  the  seventh  heaven  of  expect 
ancy,  dismissed  him  as  abruptly  as  the  others. 
Lifting  her  chin  with  an  expression  of  supreme 
disdain  for  all  his  sex,  she  stood  a  moment,  sway 
ing,  her  arms  hanging  at  her  sides. 

' l  I  am  glad  she  will  not  dance  with  Weeliam, ' ' 
muttered  Santiago.  "  I  love  him — yes;  but  the 
Spanish  dance  is  not  for  the  Bostonian." 

Bezanov  awaited  her  performance  with  an  in 
terest  that  caused  him  some  cynical  amusement. 
But  in  a  moment  he  had  surrendered  to  her  once 
more  as  a  creature  of  inexhaustible  surprise.  The 
musicians  watching  her  began  to  play  more 
slowly.  Concha,  her  arms  still  supine,  her  head 
lifted,  her  eyes  half  veiled,  began  to  dance  in  a 


122  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

stately  and  measured  fashion  that  seemed  to 
powder  her  hair  and  dissolve  the  partitions  be 
fore  an  endless  vista  of  rooms.  Eezanov  had  a 
sudden  vision  of  the  Hall  of  the  Ambassadors  in 
the  royal  palace  at  Madrid,  where,  when  a  young 
man  on  his  travels,  he  had  attended  a  state  ball. 
There  he  had  seen  the  most  dignified  beauties  of 
Europe  dance  at  the  most  formal  of  its  courts. 
But  Concha  created  the  illusion  of  having  stepped 
down  from  the  throne  in  some  bygone  fashion  to 
dance  alone  for  her  subjects  and  adorers. 

She  raised  her  arms,  barely  budding  at  the  top, 
with  a  gesture  that  was  not  only  the  poetry  of 
grace  but  as  though  bestowing  some  royal  favor; 
when  she  curved  and  swayed  her  body,  again  it 
was  with  the  lofty  sweetness  of  one  too  highly 
placed  to  descend  to  mere  seductiveness.  She 
glided  up  and  down,  back  and  forth,  with  a  dreamy 
revealing  motion  as  if  assisting  to  shape  some 
vague  impassioned  image  in  the  brain  of  a  poet. 
She  lifted  her  little  feet  in  a  manner  that  trans 
formed  boards  into  clouds.  There  were  moments 
when  she  seemed  actually  to  soar. 

' '  She  is  a  little  genius !  ' '  thought  Eezanov 
enthusiastically.  "  Anything  could  be  made  of  a 
woman  like  that." 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  123 

It  was  not  her  dancing  alone  that  interested 
him,  but  its  effect  on  her  audience.  The  young 
men  had  begun  with  audible  expressions  of  ap 
proval.  They  were  now  shouting  and  stamping 
and  clapping.  Suddenly,  as  once  more  she  danced 
back  to  the  very  centre  of  the  room,  her  bosom 
heaving,  her  eyes  like  stars,  her  red  lips  parted, 
Don  Ignacio,  long  since  recovered  from  his  spleen, 
invaded  his  pocket  and  flung  a  handful  of  silver 
at  her  feet.  It  was  a  signal.  Gold  and  silver 
coins,  chains,  watches,  jewels,  bounced  over 
the  floor,  to  be  laughingly  ignored.  Eezanov 
looked  on  in  amazement,  wondering  if  this  were  a 
part  of  the  performance  and  if  he  should  follow 
suit.  But  after  a  glance  at  the  faces  of  the  young 
men,  lost  to  everything  but  their  passionate  ad 
miration  for  the  unique  and  beautiful  dancing  of 
their  Favorita,  and  when  Sturgis,  after  wildly 
searching  in  his  pockets,  tore  a  large  pearl  from 
the  lace  of  his  stock,  he  doubted  no  longer — nor 
hesitated.  Fastened  by  a  blue  ribbon  to  the  fourth 
button  of  his  closely  fitting  coat  was  a  golden  key, 
the  outward  symbol  of  his  rank  at  court.  He 
detached  it,  then  made  a  sudden  gesture  that 
caught  her  attention.  For  a  moment  their 
eyes  met.  He  tossed  her  the  bauble,  and  me- 


124  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

chanically  she  lifted  her  hand  and  caught  it. 
Then  she  laughed  confusedly,  shrugged  her  shoul 
ders,  bowed  graciously  to  her  audience,  and  sig 
nalled  to  the  musicians  to  stop.  Eezanov  was  at 
her  side  in  a  moment. 

"  You  must  be  tired, "  he  said.  "  I  insist  that 
you  come  out  on  the  veranda  and  rest." 

"  Very  well,"  she  said  indifferently;  "it  is 
quite  time  we  all  went  out  to  the  air.  Santiago 
mio,  wilt  thou  bring  my  reboso — the  white  one?  ' 

Santiago,  more  flushed  than  his  sister  at  her 
triumphs,  fetched  the  long  strip  of  silk,  and  Eez 
anov  detached  her  from  her  eager  court  and  led 
her  without.  Elena  Castro  followed  closely,  yet 
with  a  cavalier  of  her  own  that  her  friend  might 
talk  freely  with  this  interesting  stranger.  The 
night  air  was  cool  and  stimulating.  The  hills 
were  black  under  the  sparks  of  white  fire  in  the 
high  arch  of  the  California  sky.  In  the  Presidio 
square  were  long  blue  shadows  that  might  have 
been  reflections  of  the  smouldering  blue  beyond 
the  stars.  Eezanov  and  Concha  sat  on  the  railing 
at  the  end  of  the  "  corridor." 

"Is  it  a  custom — all  that  very  material  ad 
miration?  "  he  asked. 

"  A  very  old  one,  but  not  too  often  followed. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  125 

Otherwise  we  should  not  prize  it.  But  when  some 
Favorita  outdoes  herself  then  she  receives  the 
greatest  reward  that  man  can  think  of — gold  and 
silver  and  jewels.  We  do  not  dare  to  return  the 
tributes  in  common  fashion,  but  they  have  a  way 
of  appearing  where  they  belong  as  soon  as  their 
owners  are  supposed  to  have  forgotten  the  in 
cident.  As  you  are  not  a  Californian,  senor,  I 
take  the  liberty  of  returning  this  without  any  fool 
ish  subterfuge. "  She  handed  him  his  contribu 
tion.  ' '  I  thank  you  all  the  same.  It  was  a  spon 
taneous  act,  and  I  am  very  proud. ' ' 

He  accepted  the  key  awkwardly,  not  daring  to 
press  it  upon  her,  with  the  obvious  banalities. 
But  he  felt  a  sudden  desire  to  give  her 
something,  and,  nothing  better  offering,  he 
gathered  half  a  dozen  roses  and  laid  them  on 
her  lap. 

"  I  was  disappointed  that  you  did  not  wear 
your  roses  to-night,"  he  said.  "  I  associate  them 
with  you  in  my  thoughts.  Will  you  put  one  in 
your  hair?  " 

She  found  a  place  for  two  and  thrust  another 
in  the  neck  of  her  gown.  The  rest  she  held  closely 
in  her  hands.  Then  he  noticed  that  she  was  very 
white,  and  again  she  shivered. 


126  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

"  You  are  cold  and  tired, "  he  murmured,  his 
eyes  melting  to  hers.  "  It  was  entrancing,  but  I 
hope  never  to  see  you  give  so  much  of  yourself 
to  others  again."  His  hand  in  arranging  the 
reboso  touched  hers.  It  lingered,  and  she  stared 
up  at  him,  helplessly,  her  eyes  wide,  her  lips 
parted.  She  reminded  him  of  a  rabbit  caught  in 
a  trap,  and  he  had  a  sudden  and  violent  revulsion 
of  feeling.  He  rose  and  offered  his  arm.  "  I 
should  be  a  brute  if  I  kept  you  talking  out  here. 
Slip  off  and  go  to  bed.  I  shall  start  the  guests, 
for  I  am  very  tired  myself." 


XI 


HE  did  not  talk  with  her  again  for  several  days. 
He  called  in  state,  but  remained  only  a  few  mo 
ments.  His  officers  went  to  several  impromptu 
dances  at  the  Presidio  and  Mission,  but  he  pleaded 
fatigue,  natural  in  the  damaged  state  of  his  con 
stitution,  and  left  the  ship  only  for  a  gallop  over 
the  hills  or  down  the  coast  with  Luis  Argiiello. 

But  he  had  never  felt  better.  At  the  end  of  a 
week  his  pallor  had  gone,  his  skin  was  tanned  and 
fresh.  Even  his  wretched  crew  were  different 
men.  They  were  given  much  leave  on  shore,  and 
already  might  be  seen  escorting  the  serving- 
women  over  the  hills  in  the  late  afternoon.  Eeza- 
nov  gave  them  a  long  rope,  although  he  knew  they 
must  be  germinating  with  a  mutinous  distaste  of 
the  Russian  north;  he  kept  a  strict  watch  over 
them  and  would  have  given  a  deserter  his  due 
without  an  instant's  pause. 

The  estafette  that  had  gone  with  Luis'  letters 
to  Monterey  had  taken  one  from  Rezanov  as  well, 
asking  permission  to  pay  a  visit  of  ceremony  to 
the  Governor.  Five  days  later  the  plenipotentiary 


128  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

received  a  polite  welcome  to  California,  and  pro 
test  against  another  long  journey;  the  humble 
servant  of  the  King  of  Spain  would  himself  go 
to  San  Francisco  at  once  and  offer  the  hospitality 
of  California  to  the  illustrious  representative  of 
the  Emperor  of  all  the  Kussias. 

Eezanov  was  not  only  annoyed  at  the  Gover 
nor's  evident  determination  that  he  should  see 
as  little  as  possible  of  the  insignificant  military 
equipment  of  California,  but  at  the  delay  to  his 
own  plans  for  exploration.  He  knew  that  Luis 
would  dare  take  him  upon  no  expedition  into  the 
heart  of  the  country  without  the  consent  of  the 
Governor,  and  he  began  to  doubt  this  consent 
would  be  given.  But  he  was  determined  to  see 
the  bay,  at  least,  and  he  no  sooner  read  the  diplo 
matic  epistle  from  Monterey  than  he  decided  to 
accomplish  this  part  of  his  purpose  before  the 
arrival  of  the  Governor  or  Don  Jose.  He  knew 
the  materials  he  had  to  deal  with  at  the  moment, 
but  nothing  of  those  already,  no  doubt,  on  their 
way  to  the  north. 

Early  in  the  morning  after  the  return  of  the 
courier  he  wrote  an  informal  note  to  Dona  Ignacia, 
asking  her  to  give  him  the  honor  of  entertaining 
iher  for  a  day  on  the  Juno,  and  to  bring  all  the 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  129 

young  people  she  would.  As  the  weather  was  so 
fine,  he  hoped  to  see  them  in  time  for  chocolate 
at  nine  o'clock.  He  knew  that  Luis,  who  was 
pressingly  included  in  the  invitation,  had  left  at 
daybreak  for  his  father's  rancho  some  thirty  miles 
to  the  south. 

There  was  a  flutter  at  the  Presidio  when  the 
invitation  of  the  Chamberlain  was  made  known. 
The  compliment  was  not  unexpected,  but  there  had 
been  a  lively  speculation  as  to  what  form  the  Eus- 
sian's  return  of  hospitality  would  take.  Concha, 
whose  tides  had  thundered  and  ebbed  many  times 
since  the  night  of  her  party,  submerging  the  happy 
inconsequence  of  her  sixteen  years,  but  leaving 
her  unshaken  spirit  with  wide  clarified  vision, 
felt  young  to-day  from  sheer  reaction.  She  would 
listen  to  no  protest  from  her  prudent  mother,  and 
smothered  her  with  kisses  and  a  torrent  of  words. 

"  But,  my  Conchita,"  gasped  Dona  Ignacia, 
"  I  have  much  to  do.  Thy  father  and  his  excel 
lency  come  in  two  days.  And  perhaps  they  would 
not  approve — before  they  are  here ! — to  go  on  the 
foreign  ship!  If  Luis  were  not  gone!  Ay  yi! 
Ayyi!" 

<  <  We  go,  we  go,  madre  mia !  And  his  excellency 
will  give  you  a  shawl.  I  feel  it !  I  know  it !  And 


130  REZANOV 

if  we  go  now  we  disobey  no  law.  Have  they  ever 
said  we  could  not  visit  a  foreign  ship  when  they 
were  not  here  !  We  are  light-headed  irresponsible 
women.  And  if  they  should  not  let  us  go !  If  the 
Governor  and  the  Russian  should  disagree!  Now 
we  have  the  opportunity  for  such  a  day  as  we 
never  have  had  before.  We  should  be  imbeciles. 
We  go,  madre  mia,  we  go!  ' 

So  it  proved.  At  a  few  minutes  before  nine  the 
Senora  Argiiello,  clad  in  her  best  black  silk  skirt 
and  jacket,  a  red  shawl  embroidered  with  yellow 
draped  over  her  bust  with  unconquerable  grace, 
and  a  black  reboso  folded  about  her  fine  proud 
head,  rode  down  to  the  beach  with  Ana  Paula  on 
the  aquera  behind  and  Gertrudis  Eudisinda  on 
her  arm.  The  boys  howled  on  the  corridor,  but 
the  good  senora  felt  that  she  could  not  too  liber 
ally  construe  the  kind  invitation  of  a  chamberlain 
of  the  Russian  Court. 

Behind  her  rode  Concha,  in  white  with  a  pink 
reboso ;  Rafaella  Sal,  Carolina  Ximeno,  Herminia 
Lopez,  Delfina  Rivera,  the  only  other  girls  at  the 
Presidio  old  enough  to  grace  such  an  occasion; 
Sturgis,  who  happened  to  have  spent  the  night  at 
the  Presidio,  Gervasio,  Santiago  and  Lieutenant 
^Rivera.  Castro  had  returned  to  Monterey,  Sal  was 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  131 

officer  of  the  day,  and  the  other  young  men  had 
sulkily  declined  to  be  the  guests  of  a  man  who 
looked  as  haughty  as  the  Tsar  himself  and  be 
trayed  no  disposition  to  recognize  in  Spain  the 
first  nation  of  Europe.  But  no  one  missed  them. 
The  girls,  in  their  flowered  muslins  and  bright 
rebosos,  the  men  in  gay  serapes  and  embroidered 
botas,  looked  a  fine  mass  of  color  as  they  gal 
loped  down  to  the  beach  and  laughed  and  chat 
tered  as  youth  must  on  so  glorious  a  morning. 
Even  Sturgis,  always  careful  to  be  as  nearly  one 
with  these  people  as  his  different  appearance  and 
temperament  would  permit,  wore  clothes  of  green 
linen,  a  ruffled  shirt,  deer  skin  botas  and  sombrero. 

Three  of  the  ship's  canoes  awaited  the  guests, 
and  as  not  one  of  the  women  had  ever  set 
foot  in  a  boat,  there  was  a  chorus  of  shrieks. 
Doiia  Ignacia  murmured  an  audible  prayer  and 
clutched  Gertrudis  Kudisinda  to  her  breast. 

"  Madre  de  Dios!  The  water!  I  cannot!  "  she 
muttered.  But  Santiago  took  her  firmly  by  one 
elbow,  Sturgis  by  the  other,  Davidov  caught  up 
the  children  with  a  reassuring  laugh,  and  in  a 
moment  she  was  trembling  in  the  middle  of  the 
canoe.  Concha  had  already  leaped  into  the 
second  and  waved  a  careless  little  salutation  to 


132  K  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

the  Juno.  Her  eyes  sparkled.  Her  nostrils  flut 
tered.  She  felt  indifferent  to  everything  but  the 
certain  pleasure  of  the  day.  Rezanov  was  sure 
to  be  charming.  What  mattered  the  morrow,  and 
possible  nights  of  doubt,  despair,  hatred  of  life 
and  wondering  self  -contempt  ? 

Rezanov  awaited  the  canoes  in  the  prow  of  the 
ship.  He  wore  undress  uniform  and  a  cap  instead 
of  the  cocked  hat  of  ceremony  which  had  excited 
their  awe.  He  too  tingled  with  a  sense  of  youthful 
gaiety  and  adventure.  As  he  helped  his  guests 
up  the  side  of  the  vessel,  and  listened  to  the  de 
lighted  laughter  of  the  girls,  saw  the  dancing 
eyes  of  even  the  haughty  and  reserved  Santiago, 
he  also  dismissed  the  morrow  from  his  thoughts. 

As  Dona  Ignacia  was  hauled  to  the  deck,  utter 
ing  embarrassed  apologies  for  bringing  the  two 
little  girls,  Eezanov  protested  that  he  adored  chil 
dren,  patted  their  heads,  and  told  off  a  young 
sailor  to  amuse  them. 

Four  tables  on  the  deck  were  set  with  coffee, 
chocolate,  Russian  tea,  and  strange  sweets  that 
the  cook  had  fashioned  from  ingredients  to  which 
his  skilful  fingers  had  long  been  strangers. 

Dona  Ignacia  sat  beside  the  host,  and  when  she 
had  tried  both  the  tea  and  the  coffee  and  had 


E  E  Z  A  N  O  V  133 

asked  for  the  recipe  of  the  sweets,  lie  said  casu 
ally:  "  After  breakfast  I  shall  ask  you  to  go  down 
to  the  cabin  for  a  few  moments.  I  bought  the 
cargo  with  the  Juno,  and  find  there  are  several 
articles  which  I  shall  beg  as  a  great  favor  to  pre 
sent  to  my  kindest  of  hostesses  and  the  young  girls 
she  has  been  good  enough  to  bring  to  my  ship. 
Shawls  and  ells  of  cotton  and  all  that  sort  of  thing- 
are  of  no  use  to  a  bachelor,  and  I  hope  you  will 
rid  me  of  some  of  them. ' ' 

Dona  Ignacia  lost  all  interest  in  the  breakfast, 
and  presently,  murmuring  an  excuse,  was  escorted 
by  Langsdorff  down  to  the  cabin.  When  the  light 
repast  was  over,  Rezanov  made  a  signal  to  several 
sailors  who  awaited  commands,  and  they  sprang 
to  the  anchor  and  sails. 

"  We  are  going  to  have  a  cruise, "  announced 
the  host  to  his  guests.  "  The  bay  is  very  smooth, 
there  is  a  fine  breeze,  we  shall  neither  be  becalmed 
nor  otherwise  the  sport  of  inclement  waters.  I 
know  that  most  of  you  have  never  seen  this  beauti 
ful  bay  and  that  you  will  enjoy  its  scenery  as 
much  as  I  shall. " 

He  moved  to  Concha's  side  and  dropped  his 
voice.  "  This  is  for  you,  senorita,"  he  said. 
"  You  want  change,  variety,  and  I  have  planned 


134  B  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

to  give  you  all  that  I  can  in  one  day.  I  expect 
yon  to  be  happy. " 

' '  I  shall  be, ? '  she  said  dryly,  l  i  if  only  in  watch 
ing  a  diplomat  get  his  way.  Yon  will  see  every 
corner  of  onr  bay,  and  I  shall  have  the  delightful 
sensation  of  doing  something  naughty  for  which 
I  cannot  be  held  responsible." 

He  laughed.  "  I  am  quite  willing  that  you 
should  understand  me,"  he  said.  "  But  it  is  true 
that  I  thought  as  much  of  you  as  of  myself. ' ' 

In  a  few  moments  the  ship  was  under  way. 
Santiago  and  Sturgis  had  gone  down  to  the  cabin 
to  reassure  Dona  Ignacia,  who  uttered  a  loud  cry 
as  the  Juno  gave  a  preliminary  lurch.  Gervasio 
and  Eivera  had  opened  their  eyes  as  Bezanov 
abruptly  unfolded  his  plan,  but  dropped  them 
sleepily  before  the  delight  of  the  girls.  After  all, 
it  was  none  of  their  affair,  and  what  was  a  bay? 
If  they  requested  him,  as  a  point  of  honor,  to  re 
frain  from  examining  the  battery  of  Yerba  Buena 
with  his  glass,  their  consciences  would  be  as  light 
as  their  hearts. 

As  Bezanov  stood  alone  with  Concha  in  the 
prow  of  the  ship  and  alternately  cast  softened 
eyes  on  her  intense  rapt  face,  and  shrewd  glances 
on  the  ramifications  of  the  bay,  he  congratulated 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  135 

himself  upon  his  precipitate  action  and  the  collu 
sion  of  nature.  They  were  sailing  east  and  would 
turn  to  the  north  in  a  moment.  The  mountain 
range  bent  abruptly  at  the  entrance  to  the  bay, 
encircling  the  immense  sheet  of  water  in  a  chain 
of  every  altitude  and  form:  a  long  hard  undulat 
ing  line  against  tke  bright  blue  sky;  smooth  and 
dimpled  slopes,  as  round  as  cones,  bare  but  for  the 
green  of  their  grasses;  lofty  ridges  tapering  to 
hills  in  the  curve  at  the  north  but  with  blue  peaks 
multiplying  beyond.  There  were  dense  forests  in 
deep  canons  on  the  mountain  side,  bare  and 
jagged  heights,  the  graceful  sweep  of  valleys, 
promontories  leaping  out  from  the  mainland  like 
mammoth  crocodiles  guarding  the  bay.  The 
view  of  the  main  waters  was  broken  by  the 
largest  of  the  islands,  but  far  away  were  the 
hills  of  the  east  and  the  soft  blue  peaks 
behind.  And  over  all,  hill  and  valley  and 
canon  and  mountain,  was  a  bright  opalescent  mist. 
Green,  pink,  and  other  pale  colors  gleamed  as  be 
hind  a  thin  layer  of  crystal.  Where  the  sun  shone 
through  a  low  white  cloud  upon  a  distant  slope 
there  might  have  been  a  great  globe  of  iridescent 
glass  illuminated  within.  The  water  was  a  light 
soft  filmy  yet  translucent  blue.  Concha  gazed 
with  parted  lips. 


136  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

' '  I  never  knew  before  how  wonderful  it  was, ' ' 
she  murmured.  "  I  have  been  taught  to  believe 
that  only  the  south  is  beautiful,  and  when  we 
had  to  come  here  again  from  Santa  Barbara  it 
was  exile.  But  now  I  am  glad  I  was  born  in  the 
north." 

"  I  have  watched  the  lights  on  these  hills  and 
islands,  and  what  I  could  see  of  the  fine  lines  of 
the  mountains,  ever  since  I  came;  and  were  there 
but  villas  and  castles,  these  waters  would  be  far 
more  beautiful  than  the  Lake  of  Como  or  the  Bay 
of  Naples.  But  I  am  glad  to  see  trees  again. 
From  our  anchorage  I  had  but  a  bare  glimpse  of 
two  or  three.  They  seem  to  hide  from  the  western 
winds.  Are  they  so  strong  then?  ' 

"  We  have  terrible  winds,  seiior.  I  do  not 
wonder  the  trees  crouch  to  the  east.  But  I  must 
tell  you  our  names."  She  pointed  to  the  largest 
of  the  islands,  a  great  bare  mass  that  looked  as 
had  it  been,  when  viscid,  flung  out  in  long  folds 
from  a  central  peak,  concaving  here  and  there 
with  its  own  weight.  Its  southern  point  was  on 
a  line  with  a  point  of  mainland  far  to  the  west, 
and  its  northern,  from  their  vantage  looking  to  be 
but  a  continuation  of  the  curve  of  the  mainland, 
finished  an  arc  of  almost  perfect  proportions, 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  137 

whose  deep  curve  was  a  tumbled  mass  of  hills  and 
one  great  mountain.  ' '  That  is  Nuestra  Senora  de 
los  Angeles,  and  it  opens  a  triple  jaw,  Luis  has 
told  me,  at  Point  Tiburon — you  will  soon  see  the 
straits  between.  The  big  rock  behind  us  is  Al- 
catraz,  and  farther  away  still  is  Yerba  Buena — 
that  looks  like  a  camel  on  its  knees. ' ' 

But  Eezanov  was  examining  the  scene  before 
him.  The  lines  of  this  bay  within  a  bay  were 
superb,  and  in  its  wide  embrace,  slanting  from 
Point  Tiburon  toward  an  inner  point  two  miles  op 
posite  was  another  island,  as  steep  as  Alcatraz, 
but  long  and  waving  of  outline,  with  a  glimpse  of 
trees  on  its  crest.  Eezanov,  while  he  lost  nothing 
of  the  picturesque  beauty  surrounding  him,  was 
more  deeply  interested  in  noting  the  many  foun 
dations,  sheltered  and  solid,  for  fortifications  that 
would  hold  these  rich  lands  against  the  fleets  of 
the  world.  Never  had  he  seen  so  many  strategic 
advantages  on  one  sheet  of  water.  The  islands 
farther  south  he  had  examined  through  his  glass 
from  the  deck  of  the  Juno  until  he  knew  every 
convolution  they  turned  to  the  west. 

Concha  was  directing  his  attention  to  the  tre 
mendous  angular  peak  rising  above  the  tumbled 
hills.  "  That  is  Mount  Tamalpais— the  mountain 


138  B  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

of  peace.  It  was  named  by  the  Indians,  not  by 
us.  Sometimes  it  is  like  a  great  purple  shadow, 
and  at  others  the  clouds  fight  about  it  like  the 
ghosts  of  big  sea-gulls. "  They  were  sailing  past 
the  rounded  end  of  the  western  inner  point  of  the 
little  bay.  It  was  almost  detached  from  the  bare 
ridge  behind  and  half  covered  with  oaks  and  wil 
low  trees.  "  That  is  Point  Sausalito.  I  have 
often  looked  at  it  through  the  glass  and  longed 
for  a  merienda  in  the  deep  shade. "  She  turned 
to  Eezanov  with  lips  apart.  "  Could  we  not 
ch,  senor!— have  our  dinner  on  shore?  " 

"  It  is  only  for  you  to  select  the  spot.  We  can 
sail  many  miles  before  it  is  time  for  dinner,  and 
you  may  find  a  place  even  more  to  your  liking.  I 
fancy  we  cannot  go  far  here.  It  looks  swampy 
and  shallow.  Nothing  could  be  less  romantic  than 
to  stick  in  the  mud. ' ' 

11  May  I  ask,"  said  Concha  demurely,  "  how 
you  dare  to  run  the  risks  of  an  unknown  sheet  of 
water!  I  have  heard  it  said  that  there  is  more 
than  one  rock  and  shoal  in  this  bay." 

"  I  am  not  as  rash  as  I  may  appear,"  replied 
Eezanov  dryly,  but  smiling.  "  In  1789  there  was 
a  chart  of  this  bay,  taken  from  a  Spanish  MS., 
published  in  London;  and  I  bought  it  there  when 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  139 

I  ran  up  from  the  Nadeshda — anchored  at  Fal- 
mouth — three  years  ago.  Davidov,  who,  you  may 
observe,  is  steering,  oblivious  to  the  charms  of 
even  Dona  Carolina,  knows  every  sounding  by 
heart. " 

"  Oh!  "  Concha  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  The 
Governor,  too,  i^  very  clever.  It  will  be  a  drawn 
battle.  Perhaps  I  shall  remain  neutral  after  all. 
It  would  be  more  amusing. "  The  ship  was  turn 
ing,  and  she  waved  her  hand  to  the  island  between 
the  deep  arc  of  the  hilly  coast.  "  I  have  heard  so 
much  of  the  beauty  of  that  island,"  she  said, 
' '  that  I  have  called  it  La  Bellissima,  but  I  never 
hoped  to  see  anything  but  the  back  of  its  head, 
from  which  the  wind  has  blown  all  the  hair.  And 
now  I  shall.  How  kind  you  are,  senor!  ' 

"  How  easily  you  are  made  happy,"  he  said 
with  a  sigh.  ' '  You  look  like  a  child. ' ' 

1  i  To-day  I  shall  be  one ;  and  you  the  kind  fairy 
godfather,"  she  added  with  some  malice.  "  How 
old  are  you,  senor  I  ' 

"  Forty-two." 

"  That  is  twenty-six  years  older  than  myself. 
But  your  excellency  might  pass  for  thirty-five," 
she  added  politely.  "  We  have  all  said  it.  And 
now  that  you  are  not  so  pale  you  will  soon  look 


140  K  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

younger— and  even  more  triumphant  than  when 
you  came." 

"  I  have  never  felt  so  triumphant  as  on  this 
morning,  dear  senorita.  I  had  not  hoped  to  give 
you  so  much  pleasure." 

Her  cheeks  were  as  pink  as  her  reboso,  her 
great  black  eyes  were  dancing.  Her  hands  strained 
at  the  railing.  "  I  shall  see  La  Bellissima!  La 
Bellissima!  "  she  cried. 

They  rounded  the  low  broken  point  of  the  island, 
sailed  through  the  racing  currents  between  the 
lower  end  of  La  Bellissima  and  "  Our  Lady  of 
the  Angels,"  more  slowly  past  what  looked  to  be 
a  perpendicular  forest.  From  water  to  crest  the 
gulches  and  converging  spurs  of  this  hillside  in 
the  sea  were  a  dense  mass  of  oaks,  bays,  under 
brush;  here  and  there  a  tall  slender  tree  with  a 
bark  like  red  kid  and  a  flirting  polished  leaf,  at 
which  Concha  clapped  her  hands  as  at  sight  of 
an  old  friend  and  called  "  El  Madrono."  It  was 
a  primeval  bit  of  nature,  but  sweet  and  silent  and 
peaceful ;  there  was  no  suggestion  either  of  gloom 
or  of  discourteous  beast. 

"  We  shall  have  our  dinner  here,  Excellency. 
There  on  that  little  beach ;  and  afterward  we  shall 
climb  to  the  top.  See,  there  are  trails.  The  In 
dians  have  been  here. ' ' 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  141 

They  stood  out  through  the  straits  between 
Point  Tiburon  and  the  Isle  of  the  Angels,  where  the 
tide  ran  fast.  Then,  for  the  first  time,  was  Eeza- 
nov  able  to  form  a  definite  idea  of  the  size  and 
shape  of  this  great  natural  harbor.  To  the  south 
it  extended  beyond  the  peninsula  in  an  unbroken 
sheet  for  some  forty  English  miles.  Ten  miles  to 
the  north  there  was  a  gateway  between  the  lower 
hills  which  Luis  had  alluded  to  as  leading  into 
the  bay  of  Saint  Pablo,  another  large  body  of  tide 
water,  but  inferior  in  depth  and  beauty  to  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco. 

The  mist  had  dissolved.  The  greens  were  vivid 
where  the  sun  shone  on  island  and  hill.  The  woods 
of  Bellissima,  the  groves  of  Point  Sausalito,  the 
forests  in  the  northern  canons,  deepened  to  purple 
like  that  of  the  great  bare  sweep  of  Tamalpais. 
Only  the  farther  peaks  remained  a  pale  misty  blue, 
and  were  of  an  indescribable  floating  delicacy. 

Concha  pointed  to  the  eastern  double  cone. 
"  That  is  Monte  del  Diablo.  Once  they  say  it 
spouted  fire,  but  that  was  long  ago,  and  all  our 
volcanoes  are  dead.  But  perhaps  not  so  long  ago. 
The  Indians  tell  the  strange  story  that  their  grand 
fathers  remembered  when  this  bay  was  a  valley 
covered  with  oak  trees,  and  the  rivers  of  the  north 


142  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

flowed  through  and  emptied  into  Lake  Merced  and 
a  rift  by  the  Fort.  Then  came  a  tremendous  earth 
quake  and  rent  the  mountains  apart  where  you 
came  through— we  call  it  the  Mouth  of  the  Gulf 
of  the  Farallones — the  valley  sank,  the  sea  flowed 
in,  only  these  hills  that  are  islands  now  keeping 
their  heads  above  the  flood.  Perhaps  it  is  true, 
for  Drake  was  close  to  this  bay  for  a  long  while 
and  never  saw  it,  and  it  would  have  given  him 
a  better  shelter  than  the  little  harbor  he  found  a 
few  miles  higher  on  the  coast.  I  believe  it  was 
not  here.  Madre  de  Dios,  I  hope  California  shakes 
no  more.  She  would — is  it  not  true,  Excellency?— 
be  the  most  perfect  country  in  all  the  world  did 
she  not  have  the  devil  in  her.'7 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  earthquakes?  "  asked  Eez- 
anov,  who  once  more  had  transferred  his  compre 
hensive  gaze  from  battery  sites  to  her  face. 

"  I  cross  myself.  It  is  like  feeling  your  grave 
turn  over.  But  I  fancy  the  poor  old  earth  is  like 
the  people  on  her;  she  gets  tired  of  being  good 
and  is  all  the  naughtier  for  having  been  sober  too 
long.  Don  Vincente  Eivera  is  an  example;  he  is 
cold,  haughty,  solemn,  stern  to  others  and  him 
self,  as  you  see  him;  but  once  in  a  while — Madre 
de  Dios!  The  Presidio  does  not  sleep  for  three 
nights!  " 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  143 

Kezanov  laughed  heartily,  then  turned  abruptly 
away.  ' '  Come, ' '  he  said.  ' i  I  had  almost  forgot 
ten.  Will  you  ask  the  others  to  go  to  the  cabin, 
while  I  give  orders  that  dinner  shall  be  served  on 
your  island?  ' 

In  the  cabin,  Concha  forgot  him  for  a  few  mo 
ments.  Her  mother,  her  eyes  dwelling  fondly 
upon  several  shawls  she  hoped  were  intended  for 
herself  alone,  was  hushing  the  baby  to  sleep  in 
the  deep  chair  of  his  excellency.  Ana  Paula  was 
playing  with  an  Alaskan  doll  she  had  appropriated 
without  ceremony.  Rezanov  came  in  when  his 
guests  were  assembled,  and  he  had  a  gift  for  each ; 
curious  objects  of  Alaskan  workmanship  for  the 
men,  miniature  totem  poles  and  fur  bordered 
moccasins;  but  silk  and  cotton,  linen,  shawls  and 
fine  handkerchiefs  for  senora  and  maiden.  fc 

11  They  are  trifles,"  he  said,  in  response  to  an 
enthusiastic  chorus.  "  The  cargo  I  was  obliged 
to  take  over  was  a  very  large  one.  You  must  not 
protest.  I  shall  never  miss  these  things,"  And 
he  knew  that  he  had  sown  the  seeds  of  a  rapacity 
similar  to  that  implanted  in  the  worthy  bosoms 
of  the  priests  when  they  had  paid  him  their  prom 
ised  visit.  If  the  Governor  were  insensible  to 
diplomacy  he  would  have  pressure  brought  to 


144  EEZANOV 

bear  upon  his  official  integrity  from  more  quarters 
than  one. 

"  There  are  also  many  of  the  presents  rejected 
by  the  Mikado,  somewhere,"  he  added  carelessly. 
"  But  I  could  not  find  them.  They  must  have 
found  their  way  to  the  bottom  of  the  hold  during 
one  of  the  storms  we  encountered  on  our  way 
from  Sitka." 

He  certainly  looked  the  fairy  godfather,  and 
quite  impartial  as  he  distributed  his  offerings  with 
a  chosen  word  to  each;  his  memory  for  little  char 
acteristics  was  as  remarkable  as  for  names  and 
faces.  He  had  taken  off  his  cap  on  deck  and  the 
breeze  had  ruffled  his  thick  fair  hair,  brought  the 
blood  to  his  thin  cheeks.  The  lines  of  his  face, 
cut  by  privation  and  anxiety  and  illness,  had  al 
most  disappeared  with  the  renewed  elasticity  of 
the  flesh,  and  his  blue  eyes  were  wide  open,  and 
sparkling  in  sympathy  with  the  pleasure  of  his 
guests  and  the  success  of  his  own  strategy.  These 
few  insignificant  Spaniards  dislodged,  a  half- 
dozen  forts  in  this  harbor,  and  the  combined 
navies  of  the  world  might  be  defied;  while  a  great 
chain  of  hungry  settlements  fattened  and  pros 
pered  exceedingly  on  the  beneficence  of  the  most 
fertile  land  in  all  the  Americas. 


XII 

THE  eastern  mountains  looked  very  close  from 
the  crest  of  La  Bellissima  and  of  a  singular  trans 
parency  and  variety  of  hue.  It  was  as  if  the 
white  masses  of  cloud  sailing  low  overhead 
flung  down  great  splashes  of  color  from  prismatic 
stores  stolen  from  the  sun.  There  was  a  vivid 
pale  green  on  the  long  sweep  of  a  rounding  slope, 
deep  violet  and  pale  purple  in  dimple  and  hollow, 
red  showing  through  green  on  a  tongue  of  land 
running  down  from  the  north;  and  on  the  lower 
ridges  and  little  islands,  pale  and  dark  blue,  and 
the  most  exquisite  fields  of  lavender.  This  last 
tint  was  reflected  in  the  water  immediately  below 
the  ridge,  and  farther  out  there  were  lakelets  of 
pale  green,  as  if  the  islands  too  had  the  power 
to  mirror  themselves  when  the  sea  itself  was 
glass. 

Santiago,  Davidov,  Carolina  Ximeno,  Delfina 
Eivera,  Concha  and  Eezanov,  had  climbed  to  the 
ridge.  The  other  young  people  had  given  out 
half-way  up  the  steep  and  tangled  ascent  and 
returned  to  the  beach.  Doiia  Ignacia  immediately 
after  dinner  had  frankly  asked  her  host  for  the 


146  K  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

hospitality  of  his  state-room.  She  and  her  little 
ones  must  have  their  siesta,  and  the  good  lady  was 
convinced  that  so  high  and  mighty  a  personage 
as  the  Eussian  Chamberlain  was  all  the  chaperon 
the  proprieties  demanded. 

Four  of  the  party  strayed  along  the  crest  in 
search  of  the  first  wild  pansies.  Bezanov  and 
Concha  looked  under  the  sloping  roof  of  brittle 
leaves  into  dim  falling  vistas,  arches,  arbors,  cav 
erns,  a  forest  in  miniature  with  natural  terraces 
breaking  the  precipitous  wall  of  the  island. 

"  I  should  like  to  live  here,"  said  Concha  defi 
nitely. 

"' '  It  would  make  a  fine  estate  for  summer  life — 
or  for  a  honeymoon."  He  smiled  down  upon  his 
companion,  who  stood  very  tall  and  straight  and 
proud  beside  him.  "  If  you  conclude  to  marry 
your  little  Bostonian  no  doubt  he  will  buy  it  for 
you,"  he  said. 

If  he  had  hoped  to  see  a  look  of  blank  dismay 
after  his  hours  of  devotion  he  was  disappointed. 
She  made  a  little  face. 

"  I  do  not  think  I  could  stand  a  desert  island 
with  the  good  Weeliam.  For  that  I  should  prefer 
one  of  my  own  sort — Ignacio,  or  Fernando.  Bet 
ter  still,  I  could  come  here  and  be  a  hermit." 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  147 

"  A  hermit?  " 

"  In  some  ways  that  would  suit  me  very  well. 
All  human  beings  become  tiresome,  I  find.  I  shall 
have  a  little  hut  just  below  the  crest  where  I  can 
look  from  my  window  right  into  the  woods  that 
are  so  quiet  and  green  and  beautiful.  That  is  a 
thought  that  has  always  fascinated  me.  And  when 
I  walk  on  the  crest  I  can  see  all  the  beauty  of 
mountain  and  bay.  What  more  could  I  want? 
What  more  have  you  in  your  world  when  you 
know  it  too  well,  seiior?  ' 

* '  Nothing ;  but  you  might  tire,  too,  of  this. ' ' 

* '  What  of  it  ?  It  would  be  the  gentle  sad  ennui 
of  peace,  not  of  disillusion.  I  think  you  have 
suffered  much  disillusion,  seiior.  How  I  wish  you 
would  tell  me  all  you  know  of  life !  ' ' 

"  God  forbid.  And  do  not  remind  me  of  ennui 
and  disillusions.  I  have  forgotten  both  in  Cali 
fornia.  Perhaps,  after  all,  I  shall  not  return  to 
St.  Petersburg.  There  is  a  vast  empire 
here " 

"  But  it  is  not  yours  or  Bussia's  to  rule,  Ex 
cellency,  "  she  interrupted  him  softly. 

He  did  not  color  nor  start,  but  met  her  eyes  with 
his  deep  amused  glance.  "  I,  too,  can  dream,  se- 
norita.  Of  a  great  and  wonderful  kingdom — that 


148  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

never  will  exist,  perhaps.  I  have  always  been 
called  a  dreamer,  but  the  habit  has  grown  since  I 
came  to  this  lovely  unreal  land  of  yours. " 

' i  Have  you  the  intention  to  take  it  from  us,  Ex 
cellency?  "  she  asked  quietly. 

"  Would  you  betray  me  if  you  thought  I  had?  " 

Her  eyes  responded  for  a  moment  to  the  mag 
netism  of  his,  and  then  she  drew  herself  up. 

"  No,  seiior,  I  could  not  betray  a  man  who  had 
been  our  guest,  and  Spain  needs  no  assistance 
from  a  weak  girl  to  hold  her  own  against  Eussia. ' ' 

' '  Well  said !  I  kiss  your  hands,  as  they  say  in 
Vienna.  But  we  must  sail  again.  I  told  them  to 
be  ready  at  three  o  'clock. ' ' 

Dalliance  with  the  most  alluring  girl  he  had 
ever  known  was  all  very  well,  but  the  day's  work 
was  not  yet  done.  When  they  returned  to  the 
ship  he  deliberately  engaged  all  the  Spaniards  in  a 
game  of  cards,  ordered  cigarettes  and  a  bowl  of 
punch  for  their  refreshment,  and  then  the  Juno 
steered  south. 

They  sailed  swiftly  past  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Angeles  and  the  eastern  side  of  Alcatraz,  Eezanov 
sweeping  every  inch  with  his  glass ;  more  slowly 
past  the  peninsula  where  it  came  down  in  a  suc 
cession  of  rough  hills  almost  in  a  straight  line 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  149 

from  the  Presidio,  ascending  to  a  high  outpost 
of  solid  rock,  whence  it  turned  abruptly  to  the 
south.  Here  for  a  mile  or  more  was  a  waving 
line  of  steep  irregular  cliffs,  harsh,  barren,  in 
tersected  with  gullies.  Then  the  land  became 
suddenly  as  flat  as  the  sea,  save  for  the  shifting 
dunes,  the  desert  porch  of  the  great  fertile  valley 
hidden  from  the  water  by  the  waves  of  sand,  but 
indicated  by  its  rampart  of  mountains.  The  shal 
lower  water  curved  abruptly  inward  between  the 
rocky  mass  on  the  right  and  a  gentler  incline  and 
point  two  miles  below.  At  its  head  was  the 
"  Battery  of  Yerba  Buena,"  facing  the  island 
from  which  it  took  its  name.  Eezanov  scrupu 
lously  kept  his  word  and  did  not  raise  his  glass, 
but  one  contemptuous  glance  satisfied  his  curios 
ity.  His  eye  roved  over  the  steep  hills  that  were 
designed  to  bristle  with  forts,  and,  as  sometimes 
happened,  when  he  spoke  again  to  Concha,  whom 
he  kept  close  to  his  side,  for  the  other  girls  bored 
him,  his  words  did  not  express  the  workings  of 
his  mind. 

"  Athens  has  no  finer  site  than  this,"  he  said. 
1 '  I  should  like  to  see  a  white  marble  city  on  these 
hills,  and  on  that  plain,  when  all  the  sand  dunes 
are  levelled.  Not  in  our  time,  perhaps!  But,  as 


150  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

I  told  you,  I  have  surrendered  myself  to  the 
habit  of  dreaming. " 

Concha  shrugged  her  shoulders  and  made  no 
reply  at  the  moment.  As  they  sailed  toward  the 
east  before  turning  south  again,  she  pointed 
across  the  great  silvery  sheet  of  water 
melting  into  the  misty  southern  horizon,  to 
a  high  ridge  of  mountains  that  looked  to  be  a  con 
tinuation  of  the  San  Bruno  range  behind  the 
Mission,  but  slanting  farther  west  with  the  coast 
line. 

"  Those  are  behind  our  rancho,  senor — Rancho 
El  Pilar,  or  Las  Pulgas,  as  some  prefer.  Perhaps 
my  father  will  take  you  there.  I  hope  so,  for  we 
love  to  go,  and  may  not  too  often;  my  father  is 
very  busy  here.  He  is  one  of  the  few  that  has 
received  a  large  grant  of  land,  and  it  is  because 
the  clergy  love  him  so  much  they  oppose  his 
wish  in  nothing.  Do  you  see  those  sharp  points 
against  the  sky?  They  are  the  tops  of  lofty  trees, 
like  the  masts  of  giant  ships,  and  with  many  rigid 
arms  spiked  like  the  pines.  You  saw  a  few  of 
them  in  the  hollow  below  Tamalpais,  but  up  on 
those  mountains  there  are  miles  and  miles  of 
mighty  forests.  No  white  man  has  ever  pene 
trated  them,  nor  ever  will,  perhaps.  We  have  no 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  151 

use  for  them,  and  even  if  you  made  this  your 
kingdom,  senor,  I  suppose  not  many  would  come 
with  you.  Far,  far  down  where  the  water  stops 
are  the  Missions  of  Santa  Clara  and  San  Jose; 
but  I  have  heard  you  cannot  approach  within 
many  miles  of  the  land  in  a  boat." 

When  they  had  sailed  south  for  a  few  moments 
the  boat  came  about  abruptly.  Concha  laughed. 
"  I  had  forgotten  the  chart.  I  rather  hoped  you 
would  run  on  a  shoal." 

But  as  they  approached  the  cove  of  Yerba 
Buena  again  she  caught  his  arm  suddenly,  un 
conscious  of  the  act,  and  the  little  dancing  lights 
of  humor  in  her  eyes  went  out.  ;  i  Your  white  city, 
senor !  Ay,  Dios !  what  a  city  of  dreams  that  can 
never  come  true!  " 

The  soft  white  fog  that  sometimes,  even  at  this 
season,  came  in  from  the  sea,  was  rolling  over 
the  hills  between  the  Battery  and  the  Presidio, 
wreathing  about  the  rocky  heights  and  slopes.  It 
broke  into  domes  and  cupolas,  spires  and  min 
arets.  Great  waves  rolled  over  the  sand  dunes 
and  beat  upon  the  cliffs  with  the  phantoms  cling 
ing  to  its  sides.  Then  the  sun  struggled  through ; 
for  a  moment  the  ghostly  city  was  iridescent  with 
a  thousand  colors.  The  sun  conquered,  the  mist 


152  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

shimmered  into  sunlight,  and  once  more  the  hills 
were  gray  and  bare. 

Eezanov  laughed,  but  his  eyes  glowed  down 
upon  her.  l  i  I  am  not  sure  it  was  there, ' '  he  said. 
"  I  have  an  idea  your  imagination  and  touch 
acted  as  a  sort  of  enchanter's  wand.  The  others 
evidently  saw  nothing. " 

"  The  others  saw  only  fog  and  shivered.  But 
it  was  there,  seiior.  We  have  had  a  vision.  A 
Eussian  city!  Ay,  yi!  ' 

But  Eezanov  had  forgotten  the  city.  Her 
reboso  had  fallen  and  a  strand  of  her  hair  blew 
across  his  face.  His  lips  caught  it  and  his  eyes 
burned.  They  rounded  a  headland  and  the  world 
looked  green  and  young. 

' '  Concha !  "  he  whispered. 

Her  eyes  flashed  and  melted,  she  lifted  her  chin ; 
then  burst  into  a  merry  ripple  of  laughter. 

' i  Seiior !  ' '  she  said,  ' '  if  you  make  love  to  me 
I  shall  have  to  compare  you  with  many  others, 
and  I  might  not  like  the  Eussian  fashion.  You 
are  much  better  as  you  are — very  grand  seigneur, 
iron-handed  and  absolute,  haughty  and  arrogant, 
but  the  most  charming  person  in  the  world,  with 
ends  to  gain,  even  from  such  humble  folk  as  a 
handful  of  stranded  Calif ornians.  But  to  sigh! 


R  E  Z  A  N  0  V  153 

to  languish  with  the  eye!  to  sing  at  the  grating! 
I  fear  that  the  lightest  headed  of  the  caballeros 
you  despise  could  transcend  you  in  all. ' ' 

«  Very  likely!  I  have  not  the  least  intention 
of  sighing  or  languishing  or  singing  at  gratings. 
But  if  we  were  alone  I  certainly  should  kiss  you. ' ' 

But  her  eyes  did  not  melt  again  at  the  vision. 
She  flushed  hotly  with  annoyance.  '  *  I  am  a  child 
to  you !  Were  it  not  that  I  have  read  a  few  books 
you  would  find  me  but  a  year  older  than  Ana 
Paula.  Well!  Regard  me  as  a  child  and  do  not 
attempt  to  flirt  with  me  again.  Shall  it  be  so !  ' 

"  As  you  wish!  ' '  Rezanov  looked  at  her  half  in 
resentment,  half  wistfully,  then  shrugged  his 
shoulders,  and  called  to  Davidov  to  steer  for  the 
anchorage.  She  was  quite  right;  and  on  the 
whole  he  was  grateful  to  her. 


SHE 

"  CONCHA/'  said  Sturgis  abruptly,  "  will  you 
marry  me?  " 

Concha,  who  was  sitting  in  the  shade  of  the  rose 
vines  on  the  corridor  making  a  dress  for  Gertrudis 
Eudisinda,  ran  the  needle  into  her  finger. 

"  Madre  de  Dios!  "  she  cried  angrily.  "  Who 
would  have  expected  such  foolish  words  from  you 
and  now  I  have  pricked  my  finger  and  stained 
the  little  frock.  It  will  have  to  be  washed  before 
worn  and  is  never  so  pretty  after/' 

"  I  am  sorry,"  said  Sturgis  humbly.  "  But  it 
seems  to  me  that  if  a  man  wishes  to  marry  a  maid 
he  should  ask  her  in  a  straightforward  manner, 
with  no  preliminary  of  sighs  and  hints  and  sere 
nades — and  all  sorts  of  insincere  stage  play." 

"  He  should  at  least  address  her  parents  first." 

"  True.  I  was  wholly  the  American  for  the 
moment.  May  I  speak  to  Don  Jose  and  Dona 
Ignacia,  Concha?  ' 

"  How  can  I  prevent?  No,  I  will  not  coquet 
with  you,  Weeliam.  But  I  am  angry  that  you 
have  thought  of  such  nonsense.  Such  friends  we 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  155 

were!  We  have  talked  and  read  together  by  the 
hour,  and  my  parents  have  thought  no  more  of 
it  than  had  it  been  Santiago.  There !  You  have 
a  new  book  in  your  pocket.  Why  did  you  not  read 
it  to  me  instead  of  making  love!  Let  me  see  it." 

"  I  brought  it  to  read  later  if  you  wished,  but 
I  came  to  ask  you  to  marry  me  and  to  receive  your 
answer.  I  never  expected  to  ask  you— but— lately 
—things  have  changed— life  seems,  somehow, 
more  real.  The  thought  of  losing  you  has  sud 
denly  become  terrible." 

"  You  have  been  drinking  Eussian  tea,"  said 
Concha,  stitching  quietly  but  flashing  him  a  glance 
of  amusement,  not  wholly  without  malice. 

"It  is  true,"  he  replied.  "  I  suppose  I  never 
really  believed  you  would  marry  Eaimundo  or 
Ignacio  or  any  of  the  caballeros.  They  think  and 
talk  of  nothing  but  horse-racing,  gambling,  cock- 
fighting,  love  and  cigaritos.  I  thought  of  you 
always  here,  where  at  least  I  could  look  at  you 
or  read  with  you.  But  one  must  admit  that  tnis 
Eussian  is  no  ordinary  man.  I  hate  him,  yet  like 
him  more  than  any  I  have  ever  met.  Last  night 
I  stayed  to  punch  with  him,  and  we  talked  English 
for  an  hour.  That  is  to  say,  he  did;  I  could  have 
listened  to  him  till  morning.  Langsdorff  says  that 


156  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

he  has  the  greatest  possible  command  of  his  na 
tive  tongue,  but  he  speaks  English  well  enough. 
I  wish  I  could  despise  him,  but  I  do  not  believe  I 
even  hate  him. ' ' 

1  i  Well ?  ' '  demanded  Concha.  She  kept  her 
eyes  on  her  work  (and  the  delight  that  rose  in  her 
breast  from  her  voice). 

"  Well?  " 

"  Why  should  you  hate  him!  " 

' '  Do  you  ask  me  that,  Concha,  when  he  makes 
a  fence  of  himself  about  you,  and  his  fine  eyes— 
practised  is  nearer  the  mark— look  at  no  one 
else?  " 

"  But  why  should  that  cause  you  jealousy?  He 
is  a  man  of  the  world,  accustomed  to  make  him 
self  agreeable,  and  I  am  the  daughter  of  the  Co- 
mandante. ' ' 

1  t  He  is  more  in  love  with  you  than  he  knows. ' ' 

"  Do  you  think  so,  Weeliam?  '  Still  her  voice 
was  innocent  and  even,  although  the  color  rose 
above  the  inner  commotion.  "  But  even  so,  what 
of  it  ?  Have  not  many  loved  me  ?  Am  I  to  be  won 
by  the  first  stranger?  ' 

"  I  do  not  know." 

The  tumult  in  Concha  turned  to  wrath  and  she 
lifted  flashing  eyes  to  his  moody  face.  "  Do  you 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  157 

presume  to  say  you  are  jealous  because  you  think 
I  love  him— a  stranger  I  have  known  but  a  week 
— who  looks  upon  me  as  a  child — who  has  never- 
never  thought—  '  But  her  dignity,  flying  to  the 
rescue,  assumed  control.  Her  upper  lip  curled, 
her  body  stiffened  for  a  moment,  and  she  went 
on  with  her  stitching.  "  You  deserve  I  should 
rap  your  silly  little  skull  with  my  thimble. 
You  are  no  better  than  Ignacio  and  Fernando. 
Such  scenes  as  I  have  had  with  them!  They 
wanted  to  fight  the  Eussian!  How  he  would 
laugh  at  them!  I  have  threatened  they  shall  both 
be  sent  to  San  Diego  if  there  is  any  more  non 
sense.  "  Then  curiosity  overcame  her.  "  You 
never  had  the  least,  least  reason  to  think  I  would 
marry  you,  and  now,  according  to  your  own  words, 
you  think  you  have  less.  Then  why,  pray,  did  you 
address  me?  ' 

"  Because  I  am  a  man,  I  suppose.  I  could  not 
sit  tamely  down  and  see  you  go." 

She  looked  at  him  with  a  slight  access  of  in 
terest.  A  man?  Perhaps  he  was,  after  all.  And 
his  well-bred  bony  face  looked  very  determined, 
albeit  the  eyes  were  wistful.  Suddenly  she  felt 
sorry  for  him;  and  she  had  never  experienced  a 
pang  of  sympathy  for  a  suitor  before.  She  leaned 
forward  and  patted  his  hand. 

'    o<  THS  \x 


158  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

6 '  I  cannot  marry  you,  dear  Weeliam, ' '  she  said, 
and  never  had  he  seen  her  so  sweet  and  adorable, 
although  he  noted  with  a  pang  that  her  mouth 
was  already  drawn  with  a  firmer  line.  ' '  But  what 
matter?  I  shall  never  marry  at  all.  For  many 
years — forty,  fifty  perhaps—  I  shall  sit  here  on 
the  veranda,  and  you  shall  read  to  me." 

And  then  she  shivered  violently.  But  she  set 
her  mouth  until  it  was  almost  straight,  and  picked 
up  the  little  dress.  "  Not  that,  perhaps, "  she 
said  quietly  in  a  moment.  "  I  sometimes  think  I 
should  like  to  be  a  nun,  that,  after  all,  it  is  my 
vocation.  Not  a  cloistered  one,  for  that  is  but  a 
selfish  life.  But  to  teach,  to  do  good,  to  forget 
myself.  There  are  no  convents  in  California,  but 
I  could  join  the  Third  Order  of  the  Franciscans, 
and  wear  the  gray  habit,  and  be  set  aside  by  the 
world  as  one  that  only  lived  to  make  it  a  little 
better.  To  forget  oneself!  That,  after  all,  may 
be  the  secret  of  happiness.  I  envy  none  of  my 
friends  that  are  married.  They  have  the  dear 
children,  it  is  true.  But  the  children  grow  up  and 
go  away,  and  then  one  is  fat  and  eats  many 
dulces  and  the  siesta  grows  longer  and  longer 
and  the  face  very  brown.  That  is  life  in  Cali 
fornia.  I  should  prefer  to  work  and  pray,  and  ' 


And  ***  to  dream  always  of  some  beautiful  thing  that  youth 
promised  but  never  gave.     Page  159. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  159 

with  a  flash  of  insight  that  made  her  drop  her 
work  again  and  stare  through  the  rose-vines— 
"  to  dream  always  of  some  beautiful  thing  that 
youth  promised  but  never  gave,  and  that  given 
might  have  ended  in  dull  routine  and  a  brain  too 
choked  with  nothing,  for  memories. " 

"  But,  Concha,"  cried  Sturgis  eagerly,  "  I 
could  give  you  far  better  than  that.  I  could  take 
you  away  from  here— to  Boston,  to  Europe.  You 
should  see — live  your  life — in  the  great  cities  you 
have  dreamed  of— that  you  hardly  believe  in— 
were  made  to  enjoy.  I  have  told  you  of  the 
theatre,  the  opera— you  should  go  to  the  finest  in 
the  world.  You  should  wear  the  most  beautiful 
gowns  and  jewels,  go  to  courts,  see  the  great 
works  of  art — I  am  not  trying  to  bribe  you,"  he 
stammered,  flushing  miserably.  "  God  forbid 
that  I  should  stoop  to  anything  as  mean  as  that. 
But  it  all  rushed  upon  me  suddenly  that  I  could 
give  you  so  much  that  you  were  made  for, 
with  this  worthless  money  of  mine.  And  what 
happiness  to  be  in  Europe  with  you— what— 
what » 

His  voice  trembled  and  broke,  and  he  dared 
not  look  at  her.  Again  she  stared  through  the 
vines.  A  splendid  and  thrilling  panorama  rose  be- 


160  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

yond  them,  her  bosom  heaved,  her  lips  parted.  She 
saw  herself  in  it,  and  not  alone.  And  not,  alas, 
with  the  honest  youth  whose  words  had  inspired 
it.  In  a  moment  she  shook  her  head  and  turned 
her  kind  eyes  on  the  flushed  averted  face  of  her 
suitor. 

"  I  shall  never  see  Europe, "  she  said  gently, 
' '  and  I  shall  never  marry. ' ' 

"  Not  if  this  Eussian  asks  you!  "  cried  Sturgis 
in  his  jealous  misery. 

But  Concha's  anger  did  not  rise  again.  "  He 
has  no  intention  of  asking  a  little  California  girl 
to  share  the  honors  of  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
careers  in  Europe,"  she  said  calmly.  "  Set  your 
mind  at  rest.  He  has  paid  me  no  more  attention 
than  is  due  my  position  as  the  daughter  of  the 
Comandante,  and  perhaps  of  La  Favorita.  If 
I  flirt  a  little  and  he  flirts  in  response,  that  is 
nothing.  Is  he  not  then  a  man?  But  he  will  for 
get  me  in  a  month.  The  world,  his  world,  is  full 
of  pretty  girls. ' ' 

"  A  week  ago  you  would  not  have  said  that," 
said  Sturgis  shrewdly.  "  There  has  been  noth 
ing  in  your  life  to  make  you  so  humble. ' ' 

1 '  I  cannot  explain,  but  he  seems  to  have  brought 
the  great  world  with  him.  I  know,  I  understand 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  161 

so  many  things  that  I  had  not  dreamed  of  a  week 
ago.    A  week!    Madre  de  Dios!  " 

And  Sturgis,  who  after  all  was  a  gallant  gentle 
man,  made  no  comment. 


XIV 

GOVERNOR  ARRILLAGA,  Comandante  Argiiello 
and  Chamberlain  Eezanov  sat  in  the  familiar  sala 
at  the  Presidio,  content  in  body  after  a  culinary 
achievement  worthy  of  Padre  Landaeta,  but 
perturbed  and  alert  of  mind.  Upon  the  ar 
rival  of  the  two  Californian  dignitaries  in  the 
morning  Eezanov  had  sent  Davidov  and  Langs- 
dorff  on  shore  to  assure  them  of  his  gratitude  and 
deep  appreciation  of  the  hospitality  shown  him 
self,  his  officers  and  men.  The  Governor  had 
replied  with  a  fulsome  apology  for  not  repairing 
at  once  to  the  Juno  to  welcome  his  distinguished 
guest  in  person,  and,  pleading  his  age  and  the  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  English  miles  he  had 
ridden  from  Monterey,  begged  him  as  a  younger 
man  to  waive  informality,  and  dine  at  the  house 
of  the  Comandante  that  very  day.  Eezanov 
had  complied  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  now  he 
was  alone  with  the  men  who  held  his  fate  in  their 
hands.  The  dark  worn  rugged  face  of  Don  Jose, 
who  had  been  skilfully  prepared  by  his  oldest 
daughter  to  think  well  of  the  Eussian,  beamed 
with  good-will  and  interest,  in  spite  of  lingering 


R  E  Z  A  N  0  V  163 

doubts ;  but  the  lank  wiry  figure  of  the  Governor, 
who  was  as  dignified  as  only  a  blond  Spaniard 
can  be,  was  fairly  rigid  with  the  severe  formality 
he  reserved  for  occasions  of  ceremony— being  a 
gentleman  who  loved  good  company  and  cheer— 
and  his  sharp  gray  eyes  were  almost  shut  in  the 
effort  to  penetrate  the  designs  of  this  deputy,  this 
symbol,  this  index  in  cipher,  of  a  dreaded  race. 
Rezanov  smoked  calmly,  made  himself  comfort 
able  on  the  slippery  horse-hair  chair,  though  with 
no  loss  of  dignity,  and  beat  about  the  bush  with 
the  others  until  the  Governor  betrayed  himself 
at  last  by  a  chance  remark. 

"  What  you  say  of  the  neighborly  instincts  of 
the  Russian  colonists  for  the  Spanish  on  this  coast 
interests  me  deeply,  Excellency,  but  if  Russia  is 
at  war  with  Spain— 

"  Russia  is  not  at  war  with  Spain, "  said  Rez 
anov,  with  a  flash  of  amusement  in  his  half-closed 
eyes.  "  Napoleon  Bonaparte  is  encamped  about 
half-way  between  the  two  countries.  They  could 
not  get  at  each  other  if  they  wished.  While  that 
man  is  at  large  Europe  will  be  at  war  with  him,  no 
two  nations  with  each  other." 

"  Ah!  "  exclaimed  Arillaga.  "  That  is  a  man 
ner  of  reasoning  that  had  not  occurred  to  me." 


164  EEZANOV 

The  Comandante  had  spat  at  the  mention  of 
the  usurper's  name  and  muttered  "  Chinchosa!  " 
and  Rezanov,  recalling  his  first  conversation  with 
Concha,  looked  into  the  honest  eyes  of  the  mon 
archist  with  a  direct  and  hearty  sympathy. 

"  No  better  epithet  for  him/'  he  said.  "  And 
the  sooner  Europe  combines  to  get  rid  of  him 
the  better.  But  until  it  does,  count  upon  a  com 
mon  grievance  to  unite  your  country  and  mine." 

' '  Good!  "  muttered  the  Governor.  "Good!  I 
am  glad  that  nightmare  has  lifted  its  bat's  wings 
from  our  poor  California.  Captain  0 'Cain's  raid 
two  years  ago  made  me  apprehensive,  for  he  took 
away  some  eleven  hundred  of  our  otter  skins  and 
his  hunters  were  Aleutians— subjects  of  the  Tsar. 
A  negro  that  deserted  gave  the  information  that 
they  were  furnished  the  Bostonian  by  the  chief- 
manager  of  your  Company — Baranhov — whose 
reputation  we  know  well  enough!— for  the  delib 
erate  purpose  of  raiding  our  coast." 

Eezanov  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  replied 
indifferently:  "  I  will  ask  Baranhov  when  I  return 
to  Sitka,  and  write  you  the  particulars.  It  is  more 
likely  that  the  Aleutians  were  deserters.  This 
O'Cain  would  not  be  the  first  shrewd  Bostonian 
to  tempt  them,  for  they  are  admirable  hunters 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  165 

and  ready  for  any  change.  They  make  a  greater 
demand  upon  the  Company  for  variety  of  diet 
than  we  are  always  prepared  to  meet,  so  many 
are  the  difficulties  of  transportation  across  Si 
beria.  When,  therefore,  the  time  arrived  that  I 
could  continue  my  voyage  I  determined  to  come 
here  and  see  if  some  arrangement  could  not  be 
made  for  a  bi-yearly  exchange  of  commodities. 
We  need  farinaceous  stuffs  of  every  sort.  I  will 
not  pay  so  poor  a  compliment  to  your  knowledge 
of  the  northern  settlements  as  to  enlarge  upon 
the  advantages  California  would  reap  from  such 
a  treaty." 

The  Governor,  who  had  permitted  himself  to 
touch  the  back  of  his  chair  after  the  dispersal  of 
the  war  cloud,  stiffened  again.  "  Ah!  "  he  said. 
"  Ah!  '  He  looked  significantly  at  the  Coman- 
dante,  who  nodded.  i  i  You  come  on  a  semi-official 
mission,  after  all,  then?  ' 

"It  is  entirely  my  own  idea,"  said  Rezanov 
carelessly.  "  The  young  Tsar  is  too  much  occu 
pied  with  Bonaparte  to  give  more  than  a  passing 
thought  to  his  colonies.  But  I  have  a  free  hand. 
Can  I  arrange  the  preliminaries  of  a  treaty, 
I  have  only  to  return  to  St.  Petersburg  to  receive 
his  signature  and  highest  approval.  It  would  bei 


166  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

a  great  feather  in  my  cap,  I  can  assure  your  ex 
cellencies/7  he  added,  with  a  quick  human  glance 
and  a  sudden  curve  of  his  somewhat  cynical 
mouth. 

"  Urn!  "  said  the  Governor.  "  Urn!  " 
But  Argiiello's  stern  face  had  further  relaxed. 
After  all,  he  was  but  eleven  years  older  than  the 
Russian,  and  although  early  struggles  and  heavy 
responsibilities  and  many  disappointments  had 
deprived  life  of  much  of  its  early  savor,  what 
was  left  of  youth  in  him  responded  to  the  ambi 
tion  he  divined  in  this  interesting  stranger.  More 
over,  the  idea  of  a  friendly  bond  with  another  race 
on  the  lonely  coast  of  the  Pacific  appealed  to  him 
irresistibly.  He  turned  eagerly  to  the  Governor. 
"It  is  a  fine  idea,  Excellency.  We  need  much 
that  they  have,  and  it  pleases  me  to  think  we 
should  be  able  to  supply  the  wants  of  others. 
Fancy  anyone  wanting  aught  of  California,  ex 
cept  hides,  to  be  sure.  I  did  not  think  our  exist 
ence  was  known  save  to  an  occasional  British  or 
Boston  skipper.  It  is  true  we  are  here  only  to 
Christianize  savages,  but  even  they  have  need  of 
much  that  cannot  be  manufactured  in  this  God 
forsaken  land.  And  we  ourselves  could  be  more 
comfortable— God  in  heaven,  yes!  It  is  well  to 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  167 

think  it  over,  Excellency.  Who  knows? — we 
might  have  a  trip  to  the  north  once  in  a  while. 
Life  is  more  excellent  with  something  to  look  for 
ward  to." 

66  You  should  have  a  royal  welcome.  Baranov 
is  the  most  hospitable  man  in  Bussia,  and  I  might 
have  the  happiness  to  be  there  myself.  I  see,  by 
the  way,  that  you  have  not  engaged  in  the  in 
dustry  of  shipbuilding.  I  need  not  say  that  we 
should  supply  the  ships  of  commerce  with  no  dimi 
nution  of  your  profits.  We  build  at  Okhotsk, 
Petropaulovski,  Kadiak  and  Sitka.  Moreover,  as 
the  Bostonians  visit  us  frequently,  and  as  your 
laws  prohibit  you  from  trading  with  them,  we 
would  see  that  you  always  got  such  of  their  com 
modities  as  you  needed.  They  come  to  us  for  furs, 
and  generally  bring  much  for  which  we  have  no 
use.  Captain  D'Wolf,  from  whom  I  bought  the 
Juno,  had  a  cargo  I  was  forced  to  take  over.  I 
unloaded  what  was  needed  at  Sitka,  but  as  there 
was  no  boat  going  for  some  months  to  the  other 
islands,  I  brought  the  rest  with  me,  and  you  are 
welcome  to  it,  if  in  exchange  you  will  ballast  the 
Juno  with  samples  of  your  agricultural  products; 
while  the  treaty  is  pending  I  can  experiment  in 
our  colonies  and  make  sure  which  are  the  most 
adaptable  to  the  market." 


168  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

"  Urn!  "  said  the  Governor.    "  Urn!  " 

Bezanov  did  not  remove  his  cool  direct  gaze 
from  the  snapping  eyes  opposite. 

"  I  have  not  the  least  objection  to  making  a 
trade  that  would  fill  my  promuschleniki  with  joy; 
but  that  was  by  no  means  the  first  object  of  my 
voyage;  which  was  partly  inspired  by  a  desire 
to  see  as  much  of  this  globe  as  a  man  may  in  one 
short  life,  partly  to  arrange  a  treaty  that  would 
be  of  incalculable  benefit  to  both  colonies  and 
greatly  redound  to  my  own  glory.  I  make  no 
pretence  of  being  disinterested.  I  look  forward 
to  a  career  of  ever  increasing  influence  and  power 
in  St.  Petersburg,  and  I  wish  to  take  back  as 
many  credits  as  possible. " 

"  I  understand,  I  understand!  '  The  Governor 
rested  his  lame  back  once  more.  i '  Your  ambition 
is  the  more  laudable,  Excellency,  since  you  have 
achieved  so  much  already.  I  am  not  one  to  balk 
the  honest  ambition  of  any  man,  particularly  when 
he  does  me  the  honor  to  take  me  into  his  confi 
dence.  I  like  this  suggested  measure.  I  like  it 
much.  I  believe  it  would  redound  to  our  mutual 
benefit  and  reputation.  Is  it  not  so,  Jose?  ' 

The  Comandante  nodded  vigorously.  "  I  am 
sure  of  it!  I  am  sure  of  it!  I  like  it— much, 
much. ' ' 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  169 

' '  I  will  write  at  once  to  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico 
and  ask  that  he  lay  the  matter  before  the  Cabinet 
and  King.  Without  that  high  authority  we  can 
do  nothing.  But  I  see  no  reason  to  doubt  the 
issue  when  we,  who  know  the  wants  and  needs  of 
California,  approve  and  desire.  We  are  doomed 
to  failure  in  this  unwieldy  land  of  worthless  sav 
ages,  but  it  is  the  business  of  the  wretched  ser 
vants  of  a  glorious  monarch  to  do  the  best  they 
can." 

Eezanov  had  an  inspiration.  "  You  might  re 
mind  the  viceroy  that  Spain  and  the  United  States 
of  America  have  been  on  the  verge  of  war  for 
years,  and  suggest  the  benefit  of  an  alliance  with 
Eussia  in  the  case  of  the  new  country  taking  ad 
vantage  of  the  situation  in  Europe  to  extend  its 
western  boundaries 

Arrillaga  had  bounced  to  his  feet,  his  small 
eyes  injected  and  blazing.  "  Those  damned  Bos- 
tonians!  "  he  shouted.  "  I  distrusted  them  years 
ago.  They  have  too  much  calculation  in  their 
bluntness.  They  cheated  us,  sold  us  short,  traded 
under  my  very  nose,  stole  our  otters,  until  I  or 
dered  them  never  to  drop  an  anchor  in  California 
waters  again.  If  their  ridiculous  upstart  govern 
ment  dares  to  cast  its  eyes  on  California  we  shall 


170  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

know  how  to  meet  them— the  sooner  they  march 
on  Mexico  and  lose  their  conceit  the  better.  How 
they  do  brag!  Faugh!  It  is  sickening.  I  shall 
remember  all  you  say,  Excellency,  and  thank  you 
for  the  hint." 

Bezanov  rose,  and  the  Comandante  solemnly 
kissed  him  on  either  cheek.  ' '  Governor  Arrillaga 
is  my  guest,  Excellency,77  he  said.  "  I  beg  that 
you  will  dine  with  us  daily — unofficially — that 
you  will  regard  California  as  your  own  kingdom, 
and  come  and  go  at  your  pleasure.  And  my 
daughter  begs  me  to  remind  you  and  your  young 
officers  that  there  will  be  informal  dancing  every 
night. " 

"  So  far  so  good,"  thought  Bezanov,  as  he 
mounted  his  horse  to  return  to  the  Juno.  "  But 
what  of  my  cargo!  I  fancy  there  will  be  more 
difficulty  in  that  quarter." 


XV 

THE  Chamberlain  was  in  a  towering  bad  hu 
mor.  As  he  made  his  appearance  at  least  two 
hours  earlier  than  he  was  expected  he  found  the 
decks  of  the  Juno  covered  with  the  skins  of  sea- 
dogs,  foxes  and  birds.  He  had  heard  Langsdorff 
go  to  his  cabin  later  than  usual  the  night  before, 
and  that  his  pet  aversion  was  the  cause  of  a  fresh 
grievance,  but  hastened  the  eruption  of  his  smoul 
dering  resentment  toward  life  in  general. 

"  What  does  this  mean!  "  he  roared  to  the 
sailor  on  watch.  "  Clear  them  off — overboard, 
every  one  of  them.  What  are  you  staring  at?  ' 

The  sailor,  who  was  a  "  Bostonian,"  an  inher 
itance  with  the  ship,  opened  his  mouth  in  favor 
of  the  unfortunate  professor,  but  like  his  mates, 
he  stood  in  much  awe  of  a  master  whose  indul 
gence  demanded  implicit  obedience  in  return. 
Without  further  ado  he  flung  the  skins  into  the 
sea. 

Kezanov,  to  do  him  justice,  would  not  have 
acted  otherwise  had  he  risen  in  the  best  of  tem 
pers.  He  had  inflicted  himself  with  the  society 


172  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

of  the  learned  doctor  that  he  might  always  have 
a  physician  and  surgeon  at  hand,  as  well  as  an 
interpreter  where  Latin  was  the  one  door  of 
communication.  He  should  pay  him  handsomely, 
make  him  a  present  in  addition  to  the  sum  agreed 
upon,  but  he  had  not  the  least  intention  of  giving 
up  any  of  the  Juno's  precious  space  to  the  va 
garies  of  a  scientist,  nor  to  submit  to  the  pollution 
of  her  atmosphere.  Langsdorff  was  his  creature 
and  the  sooner  he  realized  the  fact  the  better. 

"  Remember,"  he  said  to  the  sailor,  "  no  more 
of  this,  or  it  will  be  the  worse  for  you—  What  is 
this  1  '  He  had  come  upon  a  pile  of  ducks,  gulls, 
pelicans,  and  other  aquatic  birds.  "  Are  these 
the  cook's  or  the  professor's!  ' 

"  The  professor's,  Excellency." 

"  Overboard."  And  the  birds  followed  the 
skins. 

Eezanov  turned  to  confront  the  white  and 
trembling  Langsdorff.  The  naturalist  was  en 
folded  in  a  gorgeous  Japanese  dressing-gown, 
purple  brocade  embroidered  with  gold,  that  he 
had  surreptitiously  bought  in  the  harbor  of 
Nagasaki.  To  Eezanov  it  was  like  a  red  rag  to 
a  bull;  but  the  Professor  was  oblivious  at  the 
moment  of  the  tactless  garment.  His  eyes  were 


EEZANOV  173 

glaring  and  the  extended  tip  of  his  nose  worked 
like  a  knife  trying  to  leap  from  its  sheath.  But 
although  he  occasionally  ventured  upon  a  retort 
when  goaded  too  far  in  conversation,  he  was  able 
to  curb  his  just  indignation  when  the  Chamberlain 
was  in  a  bad  temper.  In  that  vague  gray  under 
winking  stars  in  their  last  watch,  Rezanov  seemed 
to  tower  six  feet  above  him. 

"  Excellency/'  he  murmured. 

"  Well?  " 

"  My — my  specimens.7' 

"  Your  what?  " 

"  The  cause  of  science  is  very  dear  to  me,  Ex 
cellency.  ' ' 

"So  it  is  to  me — in  its  proper  place.  Were 
those  skins  yours?  '  His  voice  became  very 
suave.  "  I  am  sorry  you  should  have  fatigued 
yourself  for  nothing,  but  I  am  forced  to  remind 
you  that  this  is  not  an  expedition  undertaken  for 
the  promotion  of  natural  history.  I  am  not  violat 
ing  my  part  in  the  contract,  I  believe.  Upon  our 
arrival  at  Sitka  you  are  at  liberty  to  remain  as 
my  guest  and  make  use  of  the  first  boat  that  sails 
for  this  colony;  but  for  the  present  I  beg  that 
you  will  limit  yourself  to  the  requirements  of 
your  position  on  my  staff." 


174  R  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

He  turned  his  back  and  ordered  a  canoe  to 
be  lowered.  Since  the  arrival  of  the  Governor 
and  Comandante,  now  three  days  ago,  all 
restrictions  on  his  liberty  had  been  removed, 
and  the  phrases  of  hospitality  were  a  trifle  less 
meaningless.  He  had  been  asked  to  give  his  word 
to  keep  away  from  the  fortifications,  and  as  he 
knew  quite  as  much  of  the  military  resources  of 
the  country  as  he  desired,  he  had  merely  sup 
pressed  a  smile  and  given  his  promise. 

This  morning  he  wanted  nothing  but  a  walk. 
He  had  slept  badly,  the  blood  was  in  his  head, 
his  nerves  were  on  edge.  He  went  rapidly 
along  the  beach  and  over  the  steep  hills  that  led 
to  the  northeastern  point  of  the  peninsula.  But 
he  had  taken  the  walk  before  and  did  not  turn  his 
head  to  look  at  the  great  natural  amphitheatre 
formed  by  the  inner  slopes  of  those  barren 
heights,  so  uninteresting  of  outline  from  the 
water.  Once  when  Luis  had  left  him  to  go  down 
with  an  order  to  the  Battery  of  Yerba  Buena  he 
had  examined  it  critically  and  concluded  that 
never  had  there  been  so  fine  a  site  for  a  great  city. 
Nor  a  more  beautiful,  with  the  broken  line  of  the 
San  Bruno  mountains  in  the  distance  and  a 
glimpse  of  the  Mission  valley  just  beyond  this  vast 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  175 

colosseum,  whose  steep  imposing  lines  were  des 
tined  by  nature  to  be  set  with  palaces  and  bazaars, 
minarets  and  towers  and  churches,  with  a  thou 
sand  gilded  domes  and  slender  crosses  glittering 
in  the  crystal  air  and  sun-flood.  If  not  another 
Moscow,  then  an  Irkutsk  in  his  day,  at  least. 

But  he  did  not  give  the  chosen  site  of  his  city 
a  glance  to-day,  although  in  this  gray  hour  before 
dawn  when  mystery  and  imagination  most  closely 
embrace,  he  might  at  another  time  have  forgotten 
himself  in  one  of  those  fits  of  dreaming  that 
slipped  him  out  of  touch  with  realities,  and  some 
times  precipitated  action  in  a  manner  highly  grat 
ifying  to  his  enemies. 

But  much  as  he  loved  Russia,  there  were  times 
when  he  loved  his  own  way  more,  and  since  the 
arrival  of  Governor  Arrillaga  he  was  begin 
ning  to  feel  as  he  had  felt  in  the  harbor  of  Naga 
saki.  Not  a  word  since  that  first  interview  had 
been  said  of  his  cargo;  nor  even  of  the  treaty, 
although  nothing  could  have  been  more  natural 
than  the  discussion  of  details.  Whenever  he  had 
delicately  broached  either  subject  he  had  been 
met  with  a  polite  indifference,  that  had  little  in 
common  with  the  cordiality  otherwise  shown  him. 
He  foresaw  that  he  might  be  obliged  to  reveal  the 


176  EEZANOV 

more  pressing  object  of  his  visit  without  further 
diplomacy,  and  the  thought  irritated  him  beyond 
endurance. 

Whether  Concha  were  giving  him  her  promised 
aid  he  had  no  means  of  discovering,  and  herein 
lay  another  cause  of  his  general  vexation.  He 
had  dined  every  day  at  the  Comandante's, 
danced  there  every  night.  Concha  had  been  vi 
vacious,  friendly — impersonal.  Not  so  much  as  a 
coquettish  lift  of  the  brow  betrayed  that  the  dis 
tinguished  stranger  eclipsed  the  caballeros  for 
the  moment;  nor  a  whispered  word  that  he  re 
tained  the  friendship  she  had  offered  him  on  the 
day  of  tl^eir  meeting.  He  had  not,  indeed,  had  a 
word  with  her  alone.  But  his  interest  and  admi 
ration  had  deepened.  It  was  evident  that  her 
father  and  the  Governor  adored  her,  would  deny 
her  little.  Her  attitude  to  them  was  alternately 
that  of  the  petted  child  and  the  chosen  companion. 
As  her  mother  was  indisposed  she  occupied  her 
place  at  the  table,  presiding  with  dignity,  guiding 
the  conversation,  revealing  the  rare  gift  of  mak 
ing  everyone  appear  at  his  best.  In  the  evening 
she  had  sometimes  danced  alone  for  a  few  mo 
ments,  but  more  often  with  her  Eussian  guests, 
and  readily  learning  the  English  country-dances 


R  E  Z  A  N  0  V  177 

they  were  anxious  to  teach.  Rezanov  would  have 
found  the  gay  informality  of  these  evenings  de 
lightful  had  his  mind  been  at  ease  about  his  Sit- 
kans,  and  Concha  a  trifle  more  personal.  He  had 
begun  by  suspecting  that  she  was  manoeuvring 
for  his  scalp,  but  he  was  forced  to  acquit  her ;  for 
not  only  did  she  show  no  provocative  favor  to 
another,  but  she  seemed  to  have  gained  in  dignity 
and  pride  since  his  arrival,  actually  to  have  kissed 
her  hand  in  farewell  to  the  childhood  he  had  been 
so  slow  in  divining;  grown — he  felt  rather  than 
analyzed — above  the  pettiness  of  coquetry.  Once 
more  she  had  stirred  the  dormant  ideals  of  his 
early  manhood;  there  were  moments  when  she 
floated  before  his  inner  vision  as  the  embodiment 
of  the  world's  beauty.  Nor  ever  had  there  been 
a  woman  born  more  elaborately  equipped  for  the 
position  of  a  public  man's  mate;  nor  more  in- 
generate,  perhaps,  with  the  power  to  turn  earth 
into  heaven. 

He  had  wondered  humorously  if  he  were  fallen 
in  love,  but  although  he  retained  little  faith  in 
the  activities  of  the  heart  after  youth,  he  was  be 
ginning  seriously  to  consider  the  expedience  of 
marrying  Concha  Argiiello.  He  had  not  intended 
to  marry  again,  and  it  was  this  old  and  passionate 


178  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

love  of  personal  freedom  that  alone  held  him 
back,  for  nothing  would  be  so  advantageous  to  the 
Eussian  colonies  in  their  present  crisis  as  a  strong 
individual  alliance  with  California.  Concha  Ar- 
giiello  was  the  famous  daughter  of  its  first  subject, 
and  with  the  powerful  friends  she  would  bring  to 
her  husband,  the  consummation  of  ends  dearer  to 
his  heart  than  aught  on  earth  would  be  a  matter  of 
months  instead  of  years.  And  he  thrilled  with 
pride  as  he  thought  of  Concha  in  St.  Petersburg. 
Two  years  of  court  life  and  she  would  be  one  of  the 
greatest  ladies  in  Europe.  That  he  could  win  her 
he  believed,  and  without  undue  vanity.  He  had 
much  to  offer  an  ambitious  clever  girl  conscious 
of  her  superiority  to  the  men  of  this  province  of 
Spain,  and  chafing  at  the  prospect  of  a  lifetime  in 
a  bountiful  desert.  His  only  hesitation  lay  in  his 
own  doubt  if  she  were  worth  the  loss  of  his  free 
dom,  and  all  that  word  involved  to  a  man  of  his 
position  and  adventurous  spirit. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders  at  this  argument; 
he  had  walked  off  some  of  his  ill-humor,  and  re 
verted  willingly  to  a  theme  that  alone  had  given 
him  satisfaction  during  the  past  few  days. 
At  the  same  time  he  made  a  motion  as  if  flinging 
aside  an  old  burden. 


R  E  Z  A  N  0  V  179 

"It  is  time  for  such  nonsense  to  end,"  he 
thought  contemptuously.  "  And  in  truth  these 
three  years  have  wrought  such  changes  in  me  I 
doubt  I  should  have  patience  for  an  hour  of  the 
old  trifling.  My  greatest  need  from  this  time  on, 
I  fancy,  is  work.  I  could  never  be  idle  a  month 
again.  And  when  a  man  is  in  love  with  work— 
and  power — and  has  passed  forty — does  he  want 
a  constant  companion  ?  That  is  the  point.  At  my 
time  of  life  power  exercises  the  most  irresistible 
and  lasting  of  all  fascinations.  A  man  that  wins 
it  has  little  left  for  a  woman." 

He  had  reached  the  summit  of  the  rocky  out 
post,  the  highest  of  the  hills  where  the  peninsula 
turned  abruptly  to  the  south,  and,  scrupulously 
refraining  from  a  downward  glance  at  the  Battery 
of  Yerba  Buena,  stood  looking  out  over  the  bay 
to  the  eastern  mountains:  dark,  almost  formless, 
wrapped  in  the  intense  and  menacing  mystery  of 
that  last  hour  before  dawn. 

"  Senor!  "  called  a  low  cautious  voice. 

Eezanov  stepped  hastily  back  from  the  point 
of  the  bluff  and  glanced  about  in  wonder,  his 
pulses  suddenly  astir.  But  he  could  see  no  one. 

"Senor!  " 

This  time  the  direction  was  unmistakable,  and 


180  E  E  Z  A  N  O  V 

lie  went  to  the  edge  of  the  plateau  facing  the  south 
and  looked  over.  Half-way  down  a  shallow  and 
almost  perpendicular  gully,  he  saw  a  girl 
forcing  a  mustang  up  the  harsh  loose  path.  The 
girl's  white  and  oval  face  looked  from  the 
folds  of  a  black  reboso  like  the  moon  emerging 
from  clouds,  and  its  young  beauty  was  out  of 
place  in  that  wild  and  forbidding  setting.  She 
reined  in  her  horse  as  she  caught  his  eye  and 
beckoned  superfluously;  then  guided  her  mustang 
to  a  little  ledge  where  he  could  plant  his  feet 
firmly,  permitting  her  to  reassume  her  usual 
pride  of  carriage  and  averting  the  danger  of  a 
sudden  scramble  or  need  of  assistance. 

As  Rezanov  reached  her  side  she  gave  him  a 
grave  and  friendly  smile,  but  no  opportunity  to 
kiss  her  hand. 

"  I  have  followed  your  excellency, "  she  said. 
"  I  saw  you  leave  the  Juno,  and  as  I  am  often 
up  at  this  hour,  and  as  no  one  else  ever  is,  my 
father  ignores  the  fact  that  I  sometimes  ride 
alone.  I  have  never  come  as  far  as  this  before, 
but  there  is  something  I  wish  to  say  to  you,  and 
there  is  no  opportunity  at  home.  I  asked  San 
tiago  to  find  me  one  last  night,  but  he  was  in  a  bad 
temper  and  would  not.  Men!  However — I  sup 
pose  you  have  heard  nothing  of  the  cargo?  ' 


EEZANOV  181 

"  I  have  not,"  said  Rezanov  grimly,  although 
acutely  sensible  that  the  subject  suited  neither 
his  mood  nor  the  hour. 

' '  But  the  Governor  has !  Madre  de  Dios !  all 
the  women  of  the  Presidio  and  the  Mission  have 
pestered  him.  They  are  sick  with  jealousy  at  the 
shawls  you  gave  us  that  day — those  that  did  not 
go  to  the  ship.  How  clever  of  your  excellency  to 
give  us  just  enough  for  ourselves  and  nothing  for 
our  friends !  And  those  that  went  want  more  and 
more.  They  have  called  upon  him — one,  two, 
four,  and  alone.  They  have  wept  and  scolded  and 
pleaded.  I  did  not  know  until  yesterday  that  your 
commissary  had  also  shown  the  things  to  the 
priests  from  San  Jose — Father  Jose  Uria  and 
Father  Pedro  de  la  Cueva.  They  and  the  priests 
of  San  Francisco  have  argued  with  the  Governor 
not  once  but  three  times.  Dios !  how  his  poor  ex 
cellency  swore  yesterday.  He  threatened  to  re 
turn  at  once  to  Monterey.  I  flew  into  a  great  rage 
and  threatened  in  turn  to  follow  with  all  the  other 
girls  and  all  the  priests,  vowed  he  should  not  have 
one  moment  of  peace  until  that  cargo  was  ours." 

"  Well!  "  asked  Rezanov  sharply,  in  spite  of 
his  amusement. 

Concha  shook  her  head.     "  When  he  does  not 


182  E  E  Z  A  N  O  V 

swear  he  answers  only:  '  Buy  if  you  have  the 
money.  I  have  never  broken  a  law  of  Spain  and 
I  shall  not  begin  in  my  old  age.'  He  knows  well 
that  we  have  no  money  to  send  out  of  New  Spain ; 
but  I  have  conceived  a  plan,  sen  or.  It  is  for 
you,  not  for  me,  to  suggest  it.  You  will  never 
betray  that  I  have  been  your  friend,  Excellency?  ' 

"  I  will  swear  it  if  you  wish,"  said  Bezanov 
frigidly. 

"  Pardon,  senor.  If  I  thought  you  could  I 
should  not  be  here.  One  often  says  such  things. 
This  is  the  plan:  You  shall  suggest  that  we  buy 
your  wares,  and  that  you  buy  again  with  our 
money.  The  dear  Governor  only  wants  to  save 
his  conscience  an  ache,  for  we  have  driven  him 
nearly  distracted.  I  am  sure  he  will  consent,  for 
you  will  know  how  to  put  it  to  him  very  diplo 
matically.  ' ' 

"  But  if  he  refused  to  understand,  or  his  con 
science  remained  obdurate?  I  should  then  have 
neither  cargo  nor  ballast." 

"  He  would  never  trick  a  guest,  nor  would  he 
let  the  money  go  out  of  the  country.  And  he 
knows  well  how  much  we  need  your  cargo  and 
longs  to  be  able  to  state  in  his  reports  that  he 
sold  you  a  hold  full  of  breadstuffs.  Moreover,  I 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  183 

think  the  time  has  come  to  tell  him  of  the  dis 
tress  at  Sitka.  He  is  very  soft-hearted  and  is 
now  in  that  distracted  state  of  mind  where  only 
one  more  argument  is  required.  I  hope  I  have 
given  you  good  advice,  Excellency.  It  is  the  best 
I  can  think  of.  I  have  given  it  much  thought,  and 
the  terrible  state  of  those  miserable  creatures  has 
kept  me  awake  many  nights.  I  must  return  now. 
Will  your  excellency  kindly  remain  here  until  I 
am  well  on  my  way! — and  then  return  by  the 
beach!  I  shall  go  as  I  came,  through  the  valley. 
Neither  of  us  can  be  seen  from  the  Battery. ' ' 

"  I  will  obey  all  your  instructions,"  said  Rez- 
anov.  But  he  did  not  move,  nor  could  the  mus 
tang.  Concha  smiled  and  pointed  to  the  other 
side  of  the  cleft,  which  was  about  as  wide  as  a 
narrow  street. 

"  Pardon,  senor,  I  cannot  turn." 

For  a  moment  Kezanov  stared  at  her,  through 
her.  Then  his  heavy  eyes  opened  and  flashed.  It 
seemed  to  him  that  for  the  first  time  he  saw  how 
beautiful,  how  desirable  she  was,  set  in  that  gray 
volcanic  rock  with  the  heavens  gray  above  her 
and  the  stars  fading  out.  It  was  not  the  bower 
he  would  have  imagined  for  the  wooing  of  a 
mate,  but  neither  moonlight  nor  the  romantic 


184  BEZANOV 

glades  of  La  Bellissiina  could  have  awakened  in 
him  a  passion  so  sudden  and  final.  Her  face  be 
tween  the  black  folds  turned  whiter  and  she 
shrank  back  against  the  jagged  wall;  and  when 
his  eyes  flashed  again  with  a  wild  eager  hope  she 
involuntarily  crossed  herself.  He  threw  himself 
against  the  horse  and  snatched  her  down  and 
kissed  her  as  he  had  kissed  no  woman  yet,  recog 
nizing  her  once  for  all. 

When  he  finally  held  her  at  arm's  length  for  a 
moment  he  laughed  confusedly. 

"  The  Eussian  bear  is  no  longer  a  figure  of 
speech/'  he  said.  "  Forgive  me.  I  forgot  that 
you  are  as  tender  as  you  are  strong." 

Her  hands  were  tightly  clasped  against  her 
breast,  and  the  breath  was  short  in  her  throat, 
but  she  made  no  protest.  Her  eyes  were  radiant, 
her  mouth  was  the  only  color  in  that  gray  dawn. 
In  a  moment  she  too  laughed. 

11  Dios  de  mi  alma!  What  will  they  say?  A 
heretic!  If  "Tamalpais  fell  into  the  sea  it  would 
not  make  so  great  a  sensation  in  this  California 
of  ours  where  civilized  man  exists  but  to  drive 
heathen  souls  into  the  one  true  church." 

11  Will  it  matter  to  you!  Are  you  strong 
enough?  It  will  be  only  a  question  of  time  to  win 
them  over,  if  you  are." 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  185 

She  nodded  emphatically.  "  I  was  born  with 
strength.  Now — Dios! — now  I  can  be  stronger 
than  the  King  of  Spain  himself,  than  the  Gover 
nor,  my  parents  and  all  the  priests—  You  would 
not  become  a  Catholic  ?  ' '  she  asked  abruptly. 

He  shook  his  head,  although  he  still  smiled  at 
her.  ' '  Not  even  for  you. ' ' 

"  No,"  she  said  thoughtfully.  "  I  will  confess 
— what  matters  it? — I  often  dreamed  that  this 
would  come  just  because  I  believed  it  would  not. 
But  why  should  one  control  the  imagination  when 
it  alone  can  give  us  happiness  for  a  little  while? 
I  gave  it  reign,  for  I  thought  that  one-half  of  all 
my  life  was  to  be  passed  in  that  unreal  but  by  no 
means  niggardly  world.  And  I  thought  of  every 
thing.  To  change  your  religion  would  mean  the 
ruin  of  your  career;  moreover,  it  is  not  a  pos 
sibility  of  your  character.  Were  it  I  think  I 
should  not  love  you  so  much.  Nor  could  I 
bear  to  think  of  any  change  in  you.  Only  it  will 
be  harder — longer."  Then  she  stretched  out  her 
hand,  and  closed  and  opened  it  slowly.  The  most 
obtuse  could  not  have  failed  to  read  the  old  simile 
of  the  steel  in  the  velvet.  "  I  shall  win  because 
it  is  my  nature — and  my  power — to  hold  what  I 
grasp." 


186  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

"  But  if  they  persistently  refuse " 

1 '  Dios !  ' '  she  interrupted  him.  ' '  Do  you  think 
that  your  love  is  greater  than  mine?  I  was  born 
with  a  thousand  years  of  love  in  me  and  had 
you  not  come  I  should  have  gone  alone  with  my 
dreams  to  the  grave.  I  am  all  women  in  one, 
not  merely  Concha  Argiiello,  a  girl  of  sixteen. " 
She  clasped  her  hands  high  above  her  head,  lift 
ing  her  eyes  to  the  ashen  vault  so  soon  to  yield 
to  the  gay  brush  of  dawn. 

"  Before  all  that  great  mystery, "  she  said 
solemnly,  "  I  give  myself  to  you  forever,  how 
much  or  how  little  that  may  mean  here  on  earth. 
Forever. ' ' 


XVI 

THE  Comandante  of  the  San  Francisco  Com 
pany  sat  opposite  Bezanov  with  his  mouth  open, 
the  lines  of  his  strong  face  elongated  and  relaxed. 
It  was  the  hour  of  siesta,  and  they  were  alone  in 
the  sala, 

"  Mother  of  God!  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Mother 
of  God!  Are  you  mad,  Excellency?  v 

' i  No  man  was  ever  saner, ' '  said  Rezanov  cheer 
fully.  ' '  What  better  proof  would  you  have  than 
this  final  testimony  to  Dona  Concha's  perfec 
tions?  " 

"  But  it  cannot  be!  Surely,  Excellency,  you 
realize  that  ?  The  priests !  Ay  yi !  Ay  yi !  " 

"  I  think  I  understand  the  priests.  Persuade 
the  Governor  to  buy  my  cargo  and  they  will  look 
upon  me  as  an  amicus  humasii  generis  to  whom 
common  rules  do  not  apply.  And  I  have  won 
their  sincere  friendship/7 

4<  You  have  won  mine,  senor.  But,  though  I 
say  it,  there  is  no  more  devout  Catholic  in  the 
Californias  than  Jose  Argiiello.  Do  you  know 
what  they  call  me?  El  santo.  God  knows  I  am 


188  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

not,  but  it  is  not  for  want  of  the  wish.  Did  I 
give  iny  daughter  to  a  heretic,  not  only  should  I 
become  an  outcast,  a  pariah,  but  I  should  imperil 
my  everlasting  soul  and  that  of  my  best  beloved 
child.  It  is  impossible,  Excellency — unless,  in 
deed,  you  embrace  our  faith/7 

"  That  is  so  impossible  that  the  subject  is  not 
worth  the  waste  of  a  moment.  But  surely,  Co- 
mandante,  in  your  excitement  at  this  perfectly 
natural  issue  you  are  misrepresenting  yourself. 
I  do  not  believe,  devout  Catholic  as  you  are,  that 
your  soul  is  steeped  in  fanaticism.  You  are  known 
far  and  wide  as  the  first  and  most  intelligent  of 
his  Catholic  Majesty's  subjects  in  New  Spain. 
When  you  have  my  word  of  honor  that  your 
daughter's  faith  shall  never  be  disturbed,  it  is  im 
possible  you  should  believe  that  marriage  with 
me  would  ruin  her  chances  of  happiness  in  the 
next  world.  But  I  doubt  if  your  soul  and  con 
science  will  have  the  peace  you  desire  if  you  ruin 
her  happiness  in  this.  What  pleasure  do  you  find 
in  the  thought  of  an  old  age  companioned  by  a 
heart-broken  daughter?  ' 

Don  Jose  turned  pale  and  hitched  his  chair. 
' '  Other  maids  have  been  balked  when  young,  and 
have  forgotten.  Concha  is  but  sixteen — 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  189 

"  She  is  also  unique.  She  will  marry  me  or 
no  one.  Of  that  I  am  as  certain  as  that  she  is  the 
woman  of  women  for  me. " 

"  How  can  you  be  so  certain!  M  asked  the  Co- 
mandante  sharply.  "  Surely  you  have  had  little 
talk  alone  with  her?  " 

"  The  heart  has  a  language  of  its  own.  Recall 
your  own  youth,  senor." 

"  It  is  true,"  said  Don  Jose  with  a  heavy  sigh, 
as  he  had  a  fleeting  vision  of  Dona  Ignacia,  slim 
and  lovely  at  the  grating,  with  a  rose  in  her  hair. 
"  But  this  tremendous  passion  of  the  heart— it 
passes,  senor,  it  passes.  We  love  the  good  wife, 
but  we  sometimes  realize  that  we  could  have  loved 
another  good  wife  as  well." 

"  That  is  a  bit  of  philosophy  I  should  have 
uttered  myself,  Comandante — yesterday.  But 
there  are  women  and  women,  and  your  daughter 
is  one  of  the  chosen  few  who  take  from  the  years 
what  the  years  take  from  others.  I  am  not  rushing 
into  matrimony  for  the  sake  of  a  pair  of  black 
eyes  and  a  fine  figure.  I  have  outlived  the  possi 
bility  of  making  a  fool  of  myself  if  I  would.  Be 
fore  I  realized  how  deeply  I  loved  your  daughter 
I  had  deliberately  chosen  her  out  of  all  the  women 
I  have  known,  as  my  friend  and  companion  for 


190  K  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

the  various  and  difficult  ways  of  life  which  I  shall 
be  called  upon  to  follow.  Your  daughter  will  have 
a  high  place  at  the  Eussian  Court,  and  she  will 
occupy  it  as  naturally  as  had  I  found  her  in 
Madrid  and  you  in  the  great  position  to  which 
your  attainments  and  services  entitle  you." 

Don  Jose,  despite  his  consternation,  titillated 
agreeably.  He  privately  thought  no  one  in  New 
Spain  good  enough  for  his  daughter,  and  his 
weather-beaten  self  was  not  yet  insensible  to  the 
rare  visitation  of  winged  darts  tipped  with  honey. 
But  the  situation  was  one  of  the  most  embarrass 
ing  he  had  ever  been  called  upon  to  face,  and  per 
haps  for  the  first  time  in  his  direct  and  honest 
life  his  resolution  was  shaken  in  a  crisis. 

"  Believe  me,  your  excellency,  I  appreciate  the 
honor  you  have  done  my  house,  and  I  will  add 
with  all  my  heart  that  never  have  I  liked  any  man 
more.  But— Mother  of  God!  Mother  of  God!  " 

Eezanov  took  out  his  cigarette  case,  a  superb 
bit  of  Eussian  enamel,  graven  with  the  Imperial 
arms,  and  a  parting  gift  from  Alexander.  He 
passed  it  to  his  host,  who  had  developed  a  prefer 
ence  for  Eussian  cigarettes. 

i '  There  are  other  things  to  consider  besides  the 
happiness  of  your  daughter  and  myself,"  he  re- 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  191 

marked.  "  This  alliance  would  mean  the  con 
solidation  of  Spanish  and  Russian  interests  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  It  would  mean  the  protection  of 
California  in  the  almost  certain  event  of  '  Amer 
ican  '  aggression.  And  I  hear  that  a  courier 
brought  word  again  yesterday  that  the  Eussian 
and  the  Spanish  fleets  had  sailed  for  these  waters. 
I  do  not  believe  a  word  of  it ;  but  should  it  be  true, 
I  would  remind  you  of  two  things :  that  I  have  the 
powers  of  the  Tsar  himself  in  this  part  of  the 
world,  and  that  the  Eussian  fleet  is  likely  to  arrive 
first." 

Again  the  Comandante  moved  uneasily.  The 
news  from  Mexico  had  kept  himself  and  the  Gov 
ernor  awake  the  better  part  of  the  night.  He 
fully  appreciated  the  importance  of  this  powerful 
Eussian 's  friendship.  Nothing  would  bind  and 
commit  him  like  taking  a  Californian  to  wife.  If 
only  he  had  fallen  in  love  with  Carolina  Ximeno  or 
Delfina  Bivera!  Don  Jose  had  an  uneasy  suspi 
cion  that  his  scruples  as  a  Catholic  might  have 
gone  down  "before  his  sense  of  duty  to  this  poor 
California.  But  a  heretic  in  his  own  family!  He 
was  justly  renowned  for  his  piety.  Aside  from 
the  wrath  of  the  church,  the  mere  thought  of  one 
of  his  offspring  in  matrimonial  community  be- 


192  E  E  Z  A  N  O  V 

yond  its  pale  made  liim  sick  with  repugnance. 
And  yet— California!  And  he  would  have  selected 
Eezanov  for  his  daughter  out  of  all  men  had  he 
been  of  their  faith.  And  he  was  deeply  conscious 
of  the  honor  that  had  descended,  however  un- 
f  ruitf  ully,  upon  his  house.  Madre  de  Dios !  How 
would  it  end?  Suddenly  he  felt  himself  inspired. 
In  blissful  ignorance  of  her  subtle  feminine  rule, 
he  reminded  himself  that  Concha's  mind  was  the 
child  of  his  own.  When  she  saw  his  embarrass 
ment,  filial  duty  and  woman's  wit  would  extricate 
them  both  with  grace  and  avert  the  enmity  of  the 
Eussian  even  though  the  latter 's  more  personal 
interest  in  California  must  die  in  his  disappoint 
ment.  He  would  make  her  feel  the  weight  of  the 
stern  paternal  hand,  and  then  indicate  the  part 
she  had  to  play. 

He  rang  a  bell  and  directed  the  servant  to  sum 
mon  his  daughter,  drew  himself  up  to  his  full 
height  and  set  his  rugged  face  in  hard  lines.  As 
Concha  entered  he  looked  the  Comandante,  the 
stern  disciplinarian,  every  inch  of  him. 

There  was  no  trace  of  the  siesta  in  Concha's 
cheeks.  They  were  very  white,  but  her  eyes  were 
steady  and  her  mouth  indomitable  as  she  walked 
down  the  sala  and  took  the  chair  Eezanov  placed 


R  E  Z  A  N  0  V  193 

for  her.  Except  for  her  Castilian  fairness,  she 
looked  very  like  the  martinet  sitting  on  the  other 
side  of  the  table.  The  Comandante  regarded  her 
silently  with  brows  drawn  together.  Dimly,  he 
felt  apprehension,  wondered,  in  a  flash  of  insight, 
if  girls  held  fast  to  the  parental  recipe,  or  recom- 
bined  with  tongue  in  the  cheek.  The  bare  possi 
bility  of  resistance  almost  threw  him  into  panic, 
but  he  controlled  his  features  until  the  effort  in 
jected  his  eyes  and  drew  in  his  nostrils.  Concha 
regarded  him  calmly,  although  her  heart  beat 
unevenly,  for  she  dreaded  the  long  strain  she  fore 
saw. 

"  My  daughter,"  said  Don  Jose  finally,  his 
tones  harsh  with  repressed  misgiving,  "  do  you 
suspect  why  I  have  sent  for  you?  ' 

"  I  think  that  his  excellency  wishes  to  marry 
me,"  replied  Concha:  and  the  Comandante  was 
so  staggered  by  the  calm  assurance  of  her  tone 
and  manner  that  his  pent-up  emotion  exploded. 

"  Dios!  "  he  roared.  "  What  right  have  you 
to  know  when  a  man  wishes  to  marry  you?  What 
manner  of  Spanish  girl  is  this?  Truly  has  his 
excellency  said  that  you  are  not  as  other  women. 
The  place  for  you  is  your  room,  with  bread  and 
water  for  a  week.  Sixteen!  " 


194  REZANOV 

"  Ignacio  was  born  when  my  mother  was  six 
teen,"  said  Concha  coolly. 

11  What  of  that?  She  married  whom  and  when 
she  was  told  to  marry." 

"  I  have  heard  that  you  serenaded  nightly  be 
neath  her  grating— 

"  So  did  others," 

"  I  have  heard  that  when  of  all  her  suitors  her 
father  chose  one  more  highly  born,  a  gentleman 
of  the  Viceroy's  court,  she  pined  until  they  gave 
their  consent  to  her  marriage  with  you,  lest  she 
die." 

' '  But  I  was  a  Catholic !  The  prejudice  against 
my  birth  was  an  unworthy  one.  I  had  distin 
guished  myself.  And  she  had  the  support  of  the 
priests." 

"  It  is  my  misfortune  that  M.  de  Kezanov  is  not 
a  Catholic,  but  it  will  make  no  difference.  I  shall 
not  fall  ill,  for  I  am  like  you,  not  like  my  dear 
mother— and  the  education  you  have  given  me  is 
very  different  from  hers.  But  I  shall  marry  his 
excellency  or  no  one,  and  whether  I  marry  him 
or  live  alone  with  the  thought  of  him  until  the 
end  of  my  mortal  days,  I  do  not  believe  that  my 
soul  will  be  imperilled  in  the  least." 

"  You  do  not!"  shouted  the  irate  Spaniard. 


EEZANOV  195 

"  How  dare  you  presume  to  decide  such  a  ques 
tion  for  yourself?  What  does  a  woman  know  of 
'love  until  she  marries?  It  is  nothing  but  a  sick 
ening  of  the  imagination  before;  and  if  the  man 
goes,  the  doctor  soon  comes. " 

"  You  may  not  have  intended— but  you  have 
taught  me  to  think  for  myself.  And  I  have  seen 
others  besides  M.  de  Eezanov— the  flower  of  Cali 
fornia  and  more  than  one  fine  gentleman  from 
Mexico.  I  will  have  none  of  them.  I  will  marry 
the  man  of  my  choice  or  no  one.  It  may  be  that 
I  know  naught  of  love.  If  you  wish  you  may 
think  that  my  choice  of  a  husband  is  determined 
by  ambition,  that  I  am  dazzled  with  the  thought 
of  court  life  in  St.  Petersburg,  of  being  the  con 
sort  of  a  great  and  wealthy  noble.  It  matters 
not.  Love  or  ambition,  I  shall  marry  this  Eussian 
or  I  shall  never  marry  at  all. ' ' 

"  Mother  of  God!  Mother  of  God!  "  Don 
Jose's  face  was  purple.  The  veins  swelled  in  his 
neck.  He  was  the  more  wroth  because  he  recog 
nized  his  own  daughter  and  his  own  handiwork, 
because  he  saw  that  he  confronted  a  Toledo 
blade,  not  a  woman's  brittle  will,  such  as  he  had 
grown  old  in  knowledge  of.  Concha  regarded  him 
calmly. 


196  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

"  If  you  refuse  your  consent  you  will  lose  me 
in  another  way.  I  may  not  be  able  to  marry  as 
I  wish,  but  I  will  have  no  worldly  alternative.  I 
shall  join  the  Third  Order  of  the  Franciscans,  and 
enter  a  convent  as  soon  as  one  is  built  in  Cali 
fornia.  To  that  you  cannot  withhold  your  consent, 
or  they  no  longer  would  call  you  El  Santo." 

Don  Jose  leapt  from  his  chair.  "  Go  to  your 
room!  "  he  thundered.  "  And  do  not  dare  to 
leave  it  without  my  permission— 

But  Concha  sprang  forward  and  flung  herself 
upon  his  neck.  She  rubbed  her  warm  elastic  cheek 
against  his  own  in  the  manner  he  loved,  and  soft 
ened  her  voice.  "  Papacito  mio,  papacito  mio," 
she  pleaded.  "  Thou  wilt  not  refuse  thy  Concha 
the  only  thing  she  has  ever  begged  of  thee.  And 
I  beg !  I  beg !  Papa  mio !  I  love  him !  I  love  him !  ' 
And  she  broke  into  wild  weeping  and  kissed  him 
frantically,  while  Bezanov,  who  had  followed  her 
plan  of  attack  and  resistance  in  silent  admiration, 
did  not  know  whether  he  should  himself  be  moved 
to  tears  or  further  admire. 

Don  Jose  pushed  her  from  him  with  a  heavy 
sob  and  hastily  left  the  room,  oblivious  in  the 
confusion  of  his  faculties  of  the  boon  he  conferred 
on  the  lovers.  Concha  dried  her  eyes,  but  her 


EEZANOV  197 

face  was  deathly  pale.  It  had  not  been  all  acting, 
by  any  means,  and  she  was  beginning  to  ft  3!  the 
tyranny  of  sleepless  nights;  and  the  joy  and  won 
der  of  the  morning  had  left  her  with  but  a  rem 
nant  of  endurance  for  the  domestic  battleground. 
' i  Go, ' '  she  whispered.  ' '  Return  for  the  dance 
to-night  as  if  nothing  had  happened— I  forgot, 
there  is  to  be  a  bull-bear  fight  in  the  square.  So 
much  the  better,  for  it  is  in  your  honor,  and  you 
could  not  well  remain  away.  There  is  mucE 
trouble  to  come,  but  in  the  end  we  shall  win." 


XVII 

THE  muscles  in  Dona  Ignacia's  cheeks  fell  an 
inch  as  she  listened,  dumfounded,  to  the  tale 
her  husband  poured  out.  To  her  simple  aristo 
cratic  soul  Bezanov  had  loomed  too  great  a  per 
sonage  to  dream  of  mating  with  a  Calif ornian; 
and  as  her  sharp  maternal  instinct  had  recog 
nized  his  personal  probity,  even  his  gallantries 
had  seemed  to  her  no  more  consequent  than  the 
more  catholic  trifling  of  his  officers. 

1  i  Holy  Mary !  ' '  she  whimpered  when  her  voice 
came  back.  "  Holy  Mary!  A  heretic!  And  he 
would  take  our  Concha  from  us !  And  she  would 
go!  To  St.  Petersburg!  Ten  thousand  miles! 
To  the  priests  with  her — now — this  very  day!  ' 

Concha  had  thrown  herself  on  her  bed  in  be 
lated  hope  of  siesta,  when  Malia  (Eosa  had  been 
sent  to  the  house  of  Don  Mario  Sal  in  the  valley)' 
entered  with  the  message  that  she  was  to  accom 
pany  her  parents  to  the  Mission  at  once.  She 
rose  sullenly,  but  in  the  manifold  essentials  of  a 
girl's  life  she  had  always  yielded  the  implicit 
obedience  exacted  by  the  Californian  parent.  In 


KEZANOV  199 

a  few  moments  she  was  riding  out  of  the  Presidio 
beside  her  father.  Dona  Ignacia  jolted  behind 
in  her  carreta,  a  low  and  clumsy  vehicle,  on  solid 
wheels  and  springless,  drawn  by  oxen,  and  driven 
by  a  stable-boy  on  a  mustang.  The  journey  was 
made  in  complete  silence  save  for  the  maledic 
tions  addressed  to  the  oxen  by  the  boy,  and  an  oc 
casional  :  < '  Ay  yi !  "  '  <  Madre  de  Dios !  "  <  <  Sainted 
Mary,  but  the  sun  bores  a  hole  in  the  head," 
from  Dona  Ignacia,  whose  increasing  discomfort 
banished  wrath  and  apprehension  for  the  hour. 

Don  Jose  did  not  even  look  at  his  daughter,  but 
his  face  was  ten  years  older  than  in  the  morning. 
He  had  begun  dimly  to  appreciate  that  she  was 
suffering,  and  in  a  manner  vastly  different  from 
the  passionate  resentment  he  had  seen  her  dis 
play  when  the  contents  of  a  box  from  Mexico 
disappointed  her,  or  she  was  denied  a  visit  to 
Monterey.  That  his  best-beloved  child  should 
suffer  tore  his  own  heart,  but  he  merely  cursed 
Bezanov  and  resolved  to  do  his  best  to  persuade 
the  Governor  to  yield  to  his  other  demands,  that 
California  might  be  rid  of  him  the  sooner. 

Father  Abella  was  walking  down  the  long  outer 
corridor  of  the  Mission  reading  his  breviary,  and 
praying  he  might  not  be  diverted  from  righteous- 


200  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

ness  by  the  comforting  touch  of  his  new  habit, 
when  he  looked  up  and  saw  the  party  from  the 
Presidio  floundering  over  the  last  of  the  sand  hills. 
He  shuffled  off  to  order  refreshments,  and  returned 
in  time  to  disburden  the  carreta  of  Dona  Ignacia 
— no  mean  feat — volubly  delighted  in  the  visit  and 
the  gossip  it  portended.  But  as  he  offered  his 
arm  to  lead  her  into  the  sala,  she  pushed  him 
aside  and  pointed  to  Concha,  who  had  sprung  to 
the  ground  unassisted. 

"  She  has  come  to  confess,  padre!  "  she  ex 
claimed,  her  mind  under  the  deep  tiled  roof  of 
the  corridor  readjusting  itself  to  tragedy.  "  I 
beg  that  you  will  take  her  at  once.  Padre  Lan- 
daeta  can  give  us  chocolate  and  we  will  tell  our 
terrible  news  to  him  and  receive  advice  and  con- 
eolation.  ' ' 

Father  Abella,  not  without  a  glimmering  of  the 
truth,  for  better  than  anyone  he  understood  the 
girl  he  had  confessed  many  times,  besides  him- 
•self  having  succumbed  to  the  Eussian,  led  the 
way  to  the  confessional  in  some  perturbation  of 
spirit.  He  walked  slowly,  hoping  that  the  long 
cool  church,  its  narrow  high  windows  admitting 
so  scant  a  meed  of  sunlight  that  no  one  of  its  wor 
shippers  had  ever  read  the  painted  legends  on 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  Y  202 

the  walls,  and  even  the  stations  were  but  deeper 
bits  of  shade,  would  attune  her  mind  to  holy 
things,  and  throw  a  mantle  of  unreality  over 
those  of  the  world. 

He  covered  his  face  with  his  hand  as  she  told 
her  story.  This  she  did  in  a  few  words,  dis 
jointed,  for  she  was  both  tired  and  seething.  For 
a  few  moments  afterward  there  was  a  silence ;  the 
good  priest  was  increasingly  disturbed  and  by  no 
means  certain  of  his  course.  He  was  astonished 
to  feel  a  tug  at  his  sleeve.  Before  he  could  re 
prove  this  impenitent  child  for  audacity  she  had 
raised  herself  that  she  might  approach  her  lips 
more  closely  to  his  ear. 

"  Mi  padre!  "  she  whispered  hoarsely,  "  you 
will  take  my  part!  You  will  not  condemn  me  to 
a  life  of  misery !  I  am  too  proud  to  speak  openly 
to  others — but  I  love  this  man  more  than  my  soul 
— more  than  my  immortal  soul.  Do  you  hear?  I 
am  in  danger  of  mortal  sin.  Eerhaps  I  am  al 
ready  in  that  state.  You  cannot  save  me  if  he 
goes.  I  will  not  pray.  I  will  not  come  to  the 
church.  I  will  be  an  outcast.  If  I  marry  him  I 
will  be  a  good  Catholic  to  the  end  of  my  days.  If 
I  marry  him  I  can  think  of  other  things  besides— 
of  my  church,  my  father,  my  mother,  my  sisters, 


202  EEZANOV 

brothers.  If  he  goes  I  shall  pass  my  life 
thinking  of  nothing  but  him,  and  if  it  be  true  that 
heretics  are  doomed  to  hell,  then  I  will  live  so  that 
I  may  go  to  hell  with  him." 

In  spite  of  his  horror  the  priest  was  thrilled  by 
the  intense  passion  in  the  voice  so  close  to  his  ear. 
Moreover,  he  knew  women  well,  this  good  padre, 
for  even  in  California  they  differed  little  from 
those  that  played  ball  with  the  world.  So  he  dis 
missed  the  horror  and  spoke  soothingly. 

* i  What  you  have  said  would  be  mortal  sin,  my 
daughter,  were  it  not  that  you  are  laboring  under 
strong  and  natural  excitement;  and  I  shall  ab 
solve  you  freely  when  you  have  done  the  penance 
I  must  impose.  You  have  always  been  such  a 
good  child  that  I  am  able  to  forgive  you  even  in 
this  terrible  moment.  But,  my  daughter,  surely 
you  know  that  this  marriage  can  never  take 
place " 

"It  shall!    It  shall!" 

"  Control  yourself,  my  daughter.  You  cannot 
bring  this  man  into  the  true  church.  His  charac 
ter  is  long  since  formed  and  cast — it  is  iron.  Even 
love  will  not  melt  it.  Were  he  younger " 

"  I  should  hate  him.  All  young  men  are  in 
sufferable  to  me — always  have  been.  I  have 


EEZANOV  203 

found  my  mate,  and  have  him  I  will  if  I  have  to 
hide  in  the  hold  of  his  ship.  Ah,  padre  mio,  I 
know  not  what  I  say.  But  you  will  help  me.  Only 
you  can.  My  father  thinks  you  as  wise  as  a  saint. 
And  there  are  other  things — my  head  turns  round 
— I  can  hardly  think — but  you  dare  not  lose  the 
friendship  of  this  Eussian.  And  my  marriage 
to  him  would  be  as  much  for  the  good  of  the  Mis 
sions  as  for  California  herself.  If  you  champion 
our  cause,  point  out  that  not  only  would  it  be  a 
great  match  for  me,  but  that  many  ends  would 
be  lost  by  ruining  my  life,  the  Governor  will  find 
himself  in  a  position  to  grant  your  prayers  for 
the  cargo,  particularly  if  you  first  persuaded  my 
father — so  long  they  have  been  friends,  the  Gov 
ernor  could  not  resist  if  he  joined  our  forces. 
What  is  one  girl  that  she  should  be  held  of  greater 
account  than  the  welfare  of  this  country  to  which 
you  are  devoting  your  life!  The  happier  are 
your  converts  the  more  kindly  will  they  take  to 
Christianity — which  they  do  not  love  as  yet ! — the 
more  faithful  and  contented  will  they  be,  in  the 
prospect  of  the  luxuries  and  the  toys  and  the 
trinkets  of  the  Eussian  north.  What  is  one  girl  ' 
against  the  friendship  of  Eussia  for  Spain?  Who 
am  I  that  I  should  weigh  a  peseta  in  the  scale?  " 


204  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

11  You  are  Concha  Argiiello,  the  flower  of  all 
the  maidens  of  California,  and  the  daughter  of 
the  best  of  our  men,"  replied  Father  Abella 
musingly.  "  And  until  to-day  there  has  been  no 
Catholic  more  devout " 

' '  It  lies  with  you,  mi  padre,  whether  I  continue 
to  be  the  best  of  Catholics  or  become  the  most 
abandoned  of  heretics.  You  know  me  better  than 
anyone.  You  know  that  I  will  not  weaken  and 
bend  and  submit,  like  a  thousand  other  women.  I 
could  be  bad — bad — bad — and  I  will  be !  Do  you 
hear?  '  And  she  shook  his  arm  violently,  while 
her  hoarse  voice  filled  the  church. 

' l  My  child !  My  child !  I  have  always  believed 
that  you  had  it  in  you  to  become  a  saint.  Yes,  yes, 
I  feel  the  strength  and  maturity  of  your  nature, 
I  know  the  lengths  to  which  it  might  lead  an 
other  ;  but  you  could  not  be  bad,  Conchita.  I  have 
known  many  women.  In  you  alone  have  I  per 
ceived  the  capacity  for  spiritual  exaltation.  You 
are  the  stuff  of  which  saints  and  martyrs  are 
made.  The  violent  will,  the  transcendent  passions 
— they  have  existed  in  the  greatest  of  our  saints, 
and  been  conquered. ' ' 

11  I  will  not  conquer.  I —  Oh,  padre — for  the 
love  of  heaven " 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  205 

He  left  the  box  hastily  and  lifted  her  where  she 
had  fallen  and  carried  her  into  the  room  adjoin 
ing  the  church.  Pie  laid  her  on  the  floor,  and  ran 
for  Dona  Ignacia  who,  refreshed  with  wine  and 
chocolate,  came  swiftly.  But  when  Concha,  under 
practical  administrations  and  maternal  endear 
ments,  finally  opened  her  eyes,  she  pushed  her 
mother  coldly  aside,  rose  and  steadied  herself 
against  the  wall  for  a  moment,  then  returned  to 
the  church,  closing  the  door  behind  her. 

When  a  woman  has  borne  thirteen  children  in 
the  lost  corners  of  the  world,  with  scarce  a  thought 
in  thirty  years  for  aught  else  save  the  husband 
and  his  comforts,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  her 
wits  should  be  rapiers  or  her  vocabulary  dis 
tinguished.  But  Dona  Ignacia 's  unresting  heart 
had  an  intelligence  of  its  own,  and  no  inner  con 
vulsion  could  alter  the  superb  dignity  of  mien 
which  Nature  had  granted  her.  As  she  rose  and 
confronted  Father  Abella  he  moved  forward  with 
the  instinct  to  kiss  her  hand,  as  he  had  seen 
Eezanov  do. 

"  Mi  padre, "  she  said,  "  Concha  is  the  first 
of  my  children  to  push  me  aside,  and  it  is  like  a 
blow  on  the  heart;  but  I  have  neither  anger  nor 
resentment,  for  it  was  not  the  act  of  a  child  to 
its  parent,  but  of  one  woman  to  another.  Alas! 


206  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

this  Eussian,  what  has  he  done,  when  her  own 
mother  can  give  her  no  comfort?  We  all  love 
when  young,  hut  this  is  more.  I  loved  Jose  so  much 
I  thought  I  should  die  when  they  would  have 
compelled  me  to  marry  another.  But  this  is  more. 
She  will  not  die,  nor  even  go  to  bed  and  weep  for 
days,  but  it  is  more.  I  should  not  have  died,  I 
know  that  now,  and  in  time  I  should  have  married 
another,  and  been  as  happy  as  a  woman  can  be 
when  the  man  is  kind.  Concha  will  love  but  once, 
and  she  will  suffer — suffer —  She  may  be  more 
than  I,  but  I  bore  her  and  I  know.  And  she  can 
not  marry  him.  A  heretic !  I  no  longer  think  of 
the  terrible  separation.  Were  he  a  Catholic  I 
should  not  think  of  myself  again.  But  it  cannot 
be.  Oh,  padre,  what  shall  we  do!  ' 

They  talked  for  a  long  while,  and  after  further 
consultation  with  Don  Jose  and  Father  Landaeta, 
it  was  decided  that  Concha  should  remain  for  the 
present  in  the  house  of  Juan  Moraga,  where  she 
could  receive  the  daily  counsels  of  the  priests, 
and  be  beyond  the  reach  of  Eezanov.  Meanwhile, 
all  influence  would  be  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
Governor  that  the  Eussian  might  be  placated  even 
while  made  to  realize  that  to  loiter  longer  in  Cali 
fornia  waters  would  be  but  a  waste  of  precious 
time. 


xvm 

1 

THERE  was  no  performance  after  all  in  the  Pre 
sidio  square  that  night,  for  the  bear  brought  in 
from  the  hills  to  do  honor  to  the  Eussians  died 
of  excitement,  and  it  rained  besides.  Rezanov 
made  the  storm  his  excuse  for  not  dining  and 
dancing  as  usual  at  the  house  of  the  Coman- 
dante.  But  the  relations  between  the  Presidio  and 
the  Juno  during  the  next  few  days  were  by  no 
means  strained.  Davidov  and  Khostov  were  al 
ways  with  the  Spanish  officers,  drinking  and  card 
playing,  or  improving  their  dancing  and  Spanish! 
with  the  girls,  whose  guitars  were  tuned  for  the 
waltz  day  and  night.  The  dignitaries  met  as  usual 
and  conversed  on  all  topics  save  those  paramount 
in  the  minds  of  each.  Nevertheless,  there  were 
three  significant  facts  as  well  known  to  Rezanov 
as  had  they  been  aired  to  his  liking. 

He  had  sought  an  interview  with  Father  Abella, 
and  tactfully  ignoring  the  question  of  his  mar 
riage,  had  persuaded  that  astute  and  influential 
priest  to  make  the  proposition  regarding  his  cargo 
that  Concha  had  suggested.  The  priest,  backed 


208  EEZANOV 

by  his  three  coadjutors,  had  made  it,  and  been  re 
pulsed  with  fury.  From  another  quarter  Eezanov 
learned  that  during  his  absence  little  else  was  dis 
cussed  in  the  house  of  the  Comandante  save  his 
formidable  matrimonial  project,  and  the  supposed 
designs  of  his  country.  Troops  had  been  ordered 
from  the  south  to  reinforce  the  San  Francisco  gar 
risons,  and  were  even  now  massed  at  Santa  Clara, 
within  a  day's  march  of  the  bay. 

About  a  mile  from  the  Presidio  and  almost  op 
posite  the  Juno's  anchorage  were  six  great  stone 
tubs  sunken  in  the  ground  and  filled  by  a  spring 
of  clear  water.  Here,  once  a  week,  the  linen,  fine 
and  heavy,  of  Fort  and  Presidio  was  washed,  the 
stoutest  serving  women  of  households  and  bar 
racks  meeting  at  dawn  and  scrubbing  for  half  a 
day.  Rezanov  had  watched  the  bright  picture 
they  made— for  they  wore  a  bit  of  every  hue  they 
could  command— with  a  lazy  interest,  which 
quickened  to  thirst  when  he  heard  that  they  were 
the  most  reliable  newsmongers  in  the  country.  In 
every  Presidial  district  was  a  similar  institution, 
and  the  four  were  known  as  the  "  Wash  Tub 
Mail."  Many  of  the  women  were  selected  by  the 
tyrants  of  the  tubs  for  their  comeliness,  and  each 
had  a  lover  in  the  couriers  that  went  regularly 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  209 

with  mail  and  official  instructions  from  one  end 
of  the  Californias  to  the  other.  All  important 
news  was  known  first  by  these  women,  and  much 
was  discussed  over  the  tubs  that  was  long  in  reach 
ing  higher  but  no  less  interested  circles ;  and  do 
mestic  bulletins  were  as  eagerly  prized.  The 
sailor  that  brought  this  information  to  Eezanov 
was  a  good-looking  and  susceptible  youth,  already 
the  victim  of  an  Indian  maiden  from  the  hand 
some  tribe  in  the  Santa  Clara  valley  and  sister 
of  Dona  Ignacia's  Malia.  Kezanov  furnished  him 
with  beads  and  other  trinkets,  and  was  at  no  dis 
advantage  thereafter. 

There  was  nothing  Eezanov  would  have  liked 
better  than  to  see  a  Eussian  fleet  sail  through  the 
straits,  but  he  also  knew  that  nothing  was  less 
likely,  and  that  from  such  rumors  he  should  only 
derive  further  annoyance  and  delay.  Two  of  his 
sailors  deserted  at  the  prospect  of  war,  and  his 
hosts,  if  neutral,  were  manifestly  alert.  Luis  and 
Santiago  had  been  obliged  to  go  to  Monterey  for 
a  few  days,  and  there  was  no  one  at  the  Presidio 
in  whom  Eezanov  could  confide,  either  his  im 
patience  to  see  Concha  or  at  the  adjournment 
of  his  more  prosaic  but  no  less  pressing  in 
terests.  These  two  young  men  had  been  with  Kim 


210  EEZANOV 

almost  constantly  since  his  arrival,  and  demon 
strated  their  friendship  and  even  affection  un 
failingly;  but  there  was  no  love  lost  between  him 
self  and  Gervasio.  This  young  hidalgo  had  the 
hauteur  and  intense  family  pride  of  Santiago  with 
out  his  younger  brother's  frank  intelligence  and 
lingering  ingenuousness.  With  all  the  superiority 
of  inferiority,  he  had  made  himself  so  unpopular 
that  his  real  kindness  of  heart  atoned  for  his  ab 
surdities  only  with  those  that  knew  him  best. 
Eezanov  was  not  of  these  nor  aspired  to  be.  Like 
all  highly  seasoned  men  of  the  world,  he  had  no 
patience  with  the  small  vanities  of  the  provincial, 
and  although  diplomatically  courteous  to  all,  in 
his  present  precarious  position,  he  had  taken  too 
little  trouble  to  conciliate  Gervasio  to  find  him  of 
use  in  the  absence  of  his  friends. 

At  the  end  of  three  days  Eezanov  had  forgotten 
his  cargo,  and  would  have  sent  the  Juno  to  the 
bottom  for  ten  minutes  alone  with  Concha.  He 
had  been  on  fire  with  love  of  her  since  the  moment 
of  his  actual  surrender,  and  he  was  determined  to 
have  her  if  there  were  no  other  resource  but  elope 
ment.  All  his  old  and  intense  love  of  personal 
freedom  had  melted  out  of  form  in  the  crucible 
of  his  lover's  imagination.  That  he  should  have 


EEZANOV  211 

doubted  for  a  moment  that  Concha  was  the  woman 
for  whom  his  soul  had  held  itself  aloof  and  un 
shackled  was  a  matter  for  contemptuous  wonder, 
and  the  pride  he  had  taken  in  his  keen  and  swift 
perceptive  faculties  suffered  an  eclipse.  Mind  and 
soul  and  body  he  was  a  lover,  a  union  unknown 
before. 

On  the  fourth  morning,  his  patience  at  an  end, 
he  was  about  to  leave  the  Juno  to  demand  a  formal 
interview  with  Don  Jose  when  he  saw  Luis  and 
Santiago  dismount  at  the  beach  and  enter  the 
canoe  always  in  waiting.  A  few  moments  later 
they  had  helped  themselves  to  cigarettes  from  the 
gift  of  the  Tsar  and  were  assuring  Eezanov  of 
their  partisanship  and  approval. 

"  We  were  somewhat  taken  aback  at  the  first 
moment/'  Luis  admitted.  "  But— well,  we  are 
both  in  love— Santiago  no  less  than  I,  although  I 
have  had  these  six  long  years  of  waiting  and  am 
likely  to  have  another.  And  we  love  Concha  as 
few  men  love  their  sisters,  for  there  is  no  one  like 
her — is  it  not  so,  Rezanov?  And  we  quite  under 
stand  why  she  has  chosen  you,  and  why  she  stands 
firm,  for  we  know  the  strength  of  her  character. 
We  would  that  you  were  a  Catholic,  but  even  so, 
we  will  not  sit  by  and  see  her  life  ruined,  and  we 


212  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

have  called  to  assure  you  that  we  shall  use  all  our 
influence,  every  adroit  argument,  to  bring  our 
parents  to  a  more  reasonable  frame  of  mind. 
They  have  already  risen  above  the  first  natural 
impulse  of  selfishness,  and  would  consent  to  the 
inevitable  separation  were  you  only  a  Catholic. 
I  have  also  talked  with  the  Governor— we  arrived 
at  midnight— and  he  flew  into  a  terrible  temper 
—the  poor  man  is  already  like  a  mad  bull  at  bay 
—but  if  my  father  yielded,  he  would— on  all 
points.  This  morning  I  shall  ride  over  and  talk 
with  Father  Abella,  who,  I  fancy,  needs  only  a 
little  extra  pressure— you  may  be  sure  Concha 
has  not  been  idle— to  yield;  and  for  more  reasons 
than  one.  I  shall  enlist  Father  Uria  and  Father 
de  la  Cueva  as  well.  They  also  have  great  influ 
ence  with  my  parents,  and  as  they  return  to  San 
Jose  in  two  days  to  prepare  for  the  visit  of  the 
most  estimable  Dr.  Langsdorff,  there  is  no  time 
to  lose.  I  shall  go  this  morning.  One  more  ciga- 
rito,  senor,  and  when  that  treaty  is  drawn  remem 
ber  the  conversion  of  your  brother  to  Eussian 
tobacco." 

Eezanov  thanked  him  so  warmly,  assured  him 
with  so  convincing  an  emphasis  that  with  his  fate 
in  such  competent  hands  his  mind  was  at  peace, 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  213 

that  the  ardent  heart  of  the  Calif ornian  exulted; 
Rezanov,  with  his  splendid  appearance,  and  typi 
cal  of  the  highest  civilizations  of  Europe,  had 
descended  upon  his  narrow  sphere  with  the  au 
thority  of  a  demi-god,  and  he  not  only  thirsted 
to  serve  him,  but  to  fasten  him  to  California  with 
the  surest  of  human  bonds. 

As  he  dropped  over  the  side  of  the  ship,  Rez 
anov 's  hand  fell  lightly  on  the  shoulder  of  San 
tiago. 

"  I  can  wait  no  longer  to  see  your  sister,"  he 
whispered,  mindful  of  the  sterner  responsibilities 
of  the  older  brother.  "  Do  you  think  you 
could-  -" 

Santiago  nodded.  "  While  Luis  is  at  the  Mis 
sion  I  shall  go  to  my  cousin  Juan  Moraga  's.  You 
will  dine  with  us  at  the  Presidio,  and  I  shall  escort 
you  back  to  the  ship." 


IT  was  ten  o'clock  when  Rezanov,  who  had 
supped  on  the  Juno,  met  Santiago  in  a  sandy  val 
ley  half  a  mile  from  the  Presidio  and  mounted  the 
horse  his  young  friend  himself  had  saddled  and 
brought.  The  long  ride  was  a  silent  one.  The  youth 
was  not  talkative  at  any  time,  and  Bezanov  was 
conscious  of  little  else  save  an  overwhelming  de 
sire  to  see  Concha  again.  One  secret  of  his  success 
in  life  was  his  gift  of  yielding  to  one  energy  at  a 
time,  oblivious  at  the  moment  to  aught  that  might 
distract  or  enfeeble  the  will.  To-night,  as  he  rode 
toward  the  Mission  on  as  romantic  a  quest  as  ever 
came  the  way  of  a  lover,  the  diplomat,  the  anxious 
'director  of  a  great  company,  the  representative 
of  one  of  the  mighty  potentates  of  earth,  were 
submerged,  forgotten,  in  the  thrilling  anticipation 
of  his  hour  with  the  woman  for  whom  every  fibre 
of  his  being  yearned. 

Nor  ever  was  there  more  appropriate  a  setting 
for  one  of  those  inaugural  chapters  in  mating,  half 
appreciated  at  the  time,  that  glimmer  as  a  sort  of 
morning  twilight  on  mountain  tops  over  the  mild 


EEZANOV  215 

undulations  of  matrimony.  The  moon  rode  witK- 
out  a  masking  cloud  across  the  ambiguous  night 
blue  of  the  California  sky,  a  blue  that  looks  like 
the  fire  of  strange  elements,  where  the  stars  glow 
like  silver  coals,  and  out  of  whose  depths  intense 
shadows  of  blue  and  black  fall;  shadows  in  which 
all  the  under  world  seems  to  float  and  recombine, 
where  houses  are  ghosts  of  ancient  selves  and 
men  but  the  eidola  of  forgotten  dust.  To-night  the 
little  estate  of  Juan  Moraga,  the  most  isolated  and 
eastern  of  the  settlement,  surrounded  by  its  high 
white  wall,  looked  as  unreal  and  formless  as  the 
blue  oval  of  water  and  black  trees  behind  it,  but 
Eezanov  knew  that  it  enfolded  warm  and  palpi 
tating  womanhood  and  was  steeped  in  the  sweet 
ness  of  Castilian  roses. 

The  riders,  who  had  taken  a  path  far  to  the 
east  of  the  Mission,  dismounted  and  tied  their 
horses  among  the  willows,  then,  in  their  dark 
cloaks  but  a  part  of  the  shadows,  stole  toward  the 
wall  designed  to  impress  hostile  tribes  rather  than 
to  resist  an  onslaught ;  at  the  first  warning  the  set 
tlement  invariably  fled  to  the  church  where  walls 
were  massive  and  windows  high. 

In  three  of  Moraga 's  four  walls  was  a  grille,  or 
wicket  of  slender  iron  bars,  whence  the  open  could 


216  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

be  swept  with  glass,  or  gun  at  a  pinch;  and  for 
the  grille  looking  eastward  went  Eezanov  as 
swiftly  as  the  uneven  ground  would  permit.  As 
Concha  watched  him  gather  form  in  the  moon 
light  and  saw  him  jerk  his  cloak  off  impatiently, 
she  flung  her  soft  body  against  the  wall  and  shook 
the  bars  with  her  strong  little  hands.  But  when 
he  faced  her  she  was  erect  and  smiling;  in  a  sud 
den  uprush  of  spirits,  almost  indifferent.  She 
wore  a  white  gown  and  a  rose  in  her  hair.  A  rose 
bush  as  dense  as  an  arbor  spread  its  prickly  arms 
between  herself  and  the  windows  of  the  house. 

"  Good-evening,"  she  whispered. 

Eezanov  gave  the  grille  an  angry  shake.  (San 
tiago  had  considerately  retired.)  "  Come  out," 
he  said  peremptorily,  ' '  or  let  me  in. ' ' 

"  There  is  but  one  gate,  senor,  and  that  is  di 
rectly  in  front  of  the  house  door,  that  stands 
open— 

"  Then  I  shall  get  over  the  wall " 

"  Madre  de  Dios!  You  would  leave  your  fine 
clothes  and  more  on  the  thorns.  My  cousin 
planted  those  roses  not  for  ornament,  but  to  let 
the  blood  of  defiant  lovers.  Not  one  has  come 
twice " 

"  Do  you  think  I  came  here  to  talk  to  you 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  217 

through  a  grating?     I  am  no  serenading  Span 
iard.  " 

His  eyes  were  blazing.  Adobe  is  not  stone. 
Bezanov  took  the  light  bars  in  both  hands  and 
wrenched  them  out;  then,  as  Concha,  divided  be 
tween  laughter  and  a  sudden  timidity,  would  have 
retreated,  he  dexterously  clasped  her  neck  and 
drew  her  head  through  the  embrasure.  As  Santi 
ago,  who  had  watched  Bezanov  from  a  distance 
with  some  curiosity,  saw  his  sister's  beautiful  face 
emerge  from  the  wall  to  disappear  at  once  be 
hind  another  rampart,  he  turned  abruptly  on  his 
heel  and  could  have  wept  as  he  thought  of  Pilar 
Ortego  of  Santa  Barbara.  But  there  was  a  hope 
that  he  would  be  a  cadet  of  the  Southern 
Company  before  the  year  was  out,  and  his 
parents  and  hers  were  indulgent.  Even  as 
he  sighed,  his  own  impending  happiness  in 
fused  him  with  an  almost  patronizing  sympathy 
for  the  twain  with  the  wall  between,  and 
he  concealed  himself  among  the  willows  that 
they  might  feel  to  the  full  the  blessed  isolation  of 
lovers.  His  Pilar  presented  him  with  twenty-two 
hostages,  and  he  lived  to  enjoy  an  honorable  and  a 
prosperous  career,  but  he  never  forgot  that  night 
and  the  part  he  had  played  in  one  of  the  poign 
ant  and  happy  hours  of  his  sister 's  life. 


218  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

Day  and  night  a  great  silence  reigned  in  the 
Mission  valley,  broken  only  by  the  hoot  of  the 
owl,  the  singing  of  birds,  the  flight  of  horses  across 
the  plain.  Even  the  low  huddle  of  Mission  build 
ings  and  the  few  homes  beyond  looked  an  anomaly 
in  that  vast  quiet  valley  asleep  and  unknown  for 
so  many  centuries  in  the  wide  embrace  of  the  hills. 
Its  jewel  oasis  alone  made  it  acceptable  to  the 
Spaniard,  but  to  Eezanov  the  sandy  desert,  with 
its  close  companionable  silences,  its  cool  night  air 
sweet  with  the  light  chaste  fragrance  of  the  roses, 
the  simple,  almost  primitive,  conditions  environ 
ing  the  girl,  possessed  a  power  to  stir  the  depths 
of  his  emotions  as  no  artful  reinforcement  to  pas 
sion  had  ever  done.  He  forgot  the  wall.  His  ego 
melted  in  a  sense  of  complete  union  and  happi 
ness.  Even  when  they  returned  to  earth  and  dis 
cussed  the  dubious  future,  he  was  conscious  of 
an  odd  resignation,  very  alien  in  his  nature,  not 
only  to  the  barrier  but  to  all  the  strange  condi 
tions  of  his  wooing.  He  had  felt  something  of 
this  before,  although  less  definitely,  and  to-night 
he  concluded  that  she  had  the  gift  of  clothing  the 
inevitable  with  the  semblance  and  the  sweetness 
of  choice;  and  wondered  how  long  it  would  be 
able  to  skirt  the  arid  steppes  of  philosophy. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  219 

She  told  him  that  she  had  talked  daily  with 
•Father  Abella.  * '  He  will  say  nothing  to  admit  he 
is  weakening,  but  I  feel  sure  he  has  realized  not 
only  that  our  marriage  will  be  for  the  best  interest 
of  California,  but  that  to  forbid  it  would  wreck  my 
life;  and  from  this  responsibility  he  shrinks.  I 
can  see  it  in  his  kind,  shrewd,  perplexed  eyes,  in 
the  hesitating  inflections  of  his  voice,  to  say  noth 
ing  of  the  poor  arguments  he  advances  to  mine. 
,What  of  my  father  and  mother?  ' 

"  They  look  troubled,  almost  ill,  but  nothing 
could  exceed  their  kindness  to  me,  although  they 
have  pointedly  given  me  no  opportunity  to  intro 
duce  the  subject  of  our  marriage  again.  The  Gov 
ernor  makes  no  sign  that  he  knows  of  any 
aspiration  of  mine  above  corn,  but  he  informed  me 
to-day  that  California  is  doomed  to  abandonment, 
that  the  Indians  are  hopeless,  that  Spain  will  with 
draw  troops  before  she  will  send  others,  and  that 
the  country  will  either  revert  to  savagery  or  fall 
a  prey  to  the  first  enterprising  outsider.  As  he 
was  in  comparison  cheerful  before,  I  fancy  he  ap 
prehends  the  irresistible  appeal  of  your  father's 
surrender. ' ' 

Concha  nodded.  "  If  my  father  yields  he  will 
see  that  you  have  everything  else  that  you  wish'. 


220  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

He  may  have  advocated  meeting  your  wishes  in 
other  respects  in  order  to  leave  you  without  excuse 
to  linger,  but  that  argument  is  not  strong  enough 
for  the  Governor,  whereas  if  he  made  up  his  mind 
to  accept  you  as  a  son  he  would  throw  the  whole 
force  of  his  character  and  will  into  the  scale;  and 
when  he  reaches  that  pitch  he  wins — with  men.  I 
must,  must  bring  you  good  fortune, "  she  added 
anxiously.  "  Marriage  with  a  little  California 
girl — are  you  sure  it  will  not  ruin  your  career?  " 

I  *  I  can  think  of  nothing  that  would  advantage 
it  more.    What  are  you  going  to  call  me?  ' 

II  I  cannot  say  Petrovich  or  Nicolai — my  Span 
ish  tongue  rebels.    I  shall  call  you  Pedro.    That  is 
a  very  pretty  name  with  us. ' ' 

"  My  own  harsh  names  suit  my  battered  self 
rather  better,  but  the  more  California!!  you  are 
and  remain  the  happier  I  shall  be.  When  am  I 
to  see  your  ears!  Are  they  deformed,  pointed  and 
furry  like  a  fawn's?  Do  they  stand  out?  Were 
all  the  women  of  California  tattooed  in  some  In 
dian  raid " 

Concha  glanced  about  apprehensively,  but  not 
even  Santiago  was  there  to  see  the  dreadful  deed. 
With  a  defiant  sweep  of  her  hands  she  lifted  both 
loops  of  hair,  and  two  little  ears,  rosy  even  in  the 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  221 

moonlight,  commanded  amends  and  more  from 
penitent  lips. 

"  No  man  has  ever  seen  them  before — since  I 
was  a  baby;  not  even  my  father  and  brothers/' 
said  Concha,  trembling  between  horror  and  rap 
ture  at  the  tremendous  surrender.  "  You  will 
never  remind  me  of  it.  Ay  yi!  promise — Pedro 
mio!  " 

"  On  condition  that  you  promise  not  to  confess 
it.  I  should  like  to  be  sure  that  your  mind  be 
longed  as  much  to  me  and  as  little  to  others  as 
possible.  I  do  not  object  to  confession — we  have 
it  in  our  church;  but  remember  that  there  are 
other  things  as  sacred  as  your  religion." 

She  nodded.  "  I  understand— better  than  you 
understand  Eomanism.  I  must  confess  that 
I  met  you  to-night,  but  Father  Abella  is  too  dis 
creet  to  ask  for  more.  It  is  such  blessed  memories 
that  feed  the  soul,  and  they  would  fly  away  on  a 
whisper." 


XX 

THE  next  morning  Father  Abella  rode  over  to 
the  Presidio  and  was  closeted  for  an  hour  with 
the  Comandante  and  the  Governor.  Then  the 
three  rode  down  to  the  beach,  entered  a  canoe, 
and  paddled  out  to  the  Juno.  Bezanov  met  them 
on  deck  with  a  gravity  as  significant  as  their  own, 
but  led  them  at  once  to  the  cabin  where  wine,  and 
the  cigarettes  for  which  alone  they  would  have 
counselled  the  treaty,  awaited  them. 

The  quartette  pledged  each  other  in  an  embar 
rassed  silence,  disposed  of  a  moment  more  with 
obdurate  matches.  Don  Jose  inhaled  audibly, 
then  lifted  his  eyes  and  met  the  veiled  and  steady 
gaze  of  the  Eussian. 

"  Seiior,"  he  said,  "  I  have  come  to  tell  you 
that  I  consent  to  your  marriage  with  my  daugh 
ter.  " 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Kezanov.  And  their  hands 
clasped  across  the  table. 

But  this  was  far  too  simple  for  the  taste  of  a 
Governor.  So  important  an  occasion  demanded 
Official  dignity  and  many  words. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  223 

"Your  excellency, "  lie  said  severely,  sitting 
very  erect,  with  one  white  hand  on  the  table  and 
the  other  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword  (yet  full  of 
courtesy  and  longing  to  enjoy  the  cheer  and  con 
versation  of  his  host);  "  the  peaceful  monotony 
of  our  lives  has  been  rudely  shaken  by  a  demand 
upon  three  fallible  human  beings  to  alter  the 
course  of  history  in  two  great  nations.  That  is  a 
sufficient  excuse  for  the  suspense  to  which  we 
have  been  forced  to  subject  you.  The  marriage 
of  a  Kussian  and  a  Spaniard  is  of  no  great 
moment  in  itself,  but  the  marriage  of  the  Pleni 
potentiary  of  the  Tsar  himself  with  the  daughter 
of  Jose  Dario  Argiiello,  not  only  one  of  the  most 
eminent,  respected,  and  distinguished  of  His  Most 
Catholic  Majesty's  subjects  in  New  Spain,  but 
a  man  so  beloved  and  influential  that  he  could 
create  a  revolution  were  he  so  minded — indeed 
Jose,  no  one  knows  better  than  I  how  incapable 
you  are  of  treason  " — as  the  Comandante  gave 
a  loud  exclamation  of  horror — "  I  merely  illus 
trate  and  emphasize.  My  sands  are  nearly  run, 
Excellency ;  it  is  to  the  estimable  mind  and  strong 
paternal  hand  of  my  friend  that  this  miserable 
colony  must  look  before  long,  would  she  continue 
even  this  hand  to  mouth  existence — a  fact  well 


224  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

known  to  our  king  and  natural  lord.  When  he 
hears  of  this  projected  alliance— 

"  Projected?  "  exclaimed  Eezanov.  "  I  wish 
to  marry  at  once." 

Father  Abella  shook  his  head  vigorously,  but 
he  spoke  with  great  kindness.  "  That,  Excel 
lency,  alas,  is  the  one  point  upon  which  we  are 
forced  to  disappoint  you.  Indeed,  our  own  sub 
mission  to  your  wishes  is  contingent.  This  mar 
riage  cannot  take  place  without  a  dispensation 
from  Rome  and  the  consent  of  the  King. ' ' 

Eezanov  looked  at  Don  Jose.  "  You  too?  "  he 
asked  curtly. 

The  Comandante  stirred  uneasily,  heaved  a 
deep  sigh;  he  thought  of  the  long  impatience  of 
his  Concha.  "  It  is  true,"  he  said.  "  Not  only 
would  it  be  impossible  for  my  conscience  to  re 
sign  itself  to  the  marriage  of  my  daughter  with  a 
heretic — pardon,  Excellency — without  the  bless 
ing  of  the  Pope ;  not  only  would  no  priest  in  Cali 
fornia  perform  the  ceremony  until  it  arrived,  but 
it  would  mean  the  degradation  of  Governor 
Arrillaga  and  myself,  and  the  ruin  of  all  your 
other  hopes.  We  should  be  ordered  summarily 
to  Mexico,  perhaps  worse,  and  no  Eussian  would 
ever  be  permitted  to  set  foot  in  the  Californias 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  225 

again.  I  would  it  were  otherwise.  I  know — I 
know — but  it  is  inevitable.  Your  excellency  must 
see  it.  Even  were  you  a  Catholic,  Governor 
Arrillaga  and  the  President  of  the  Missions,  at 
least,  would  not  dare  to  countenance  this  mar 
riage  without  the  consent  of  the  King." 

Eezanov  was  silent  for  a  few  minutes.  In  spite 
of  the  emotions  of  the  past  few  days  he  was  aston 
ished  at  the  depth  and  keenness  of  his  disappoint 
ment.  But  never  yet  had  he  failed  to  realize  when 
he  was  beaten,  nor  to  trim  his  sails  without  loss 
of  precious  time. 

"Very  well,"  he  said.  "  I  will  go  to  St. 
Petersburg  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  ob 
tain  personal  letters  from  the  Tsar  and  proceed 
post  haste  to  Eome  and  Madrid.  At  the  same 
time  I  shall  arrange  for  the  treaty  with  full  au 
thority  from  the  Tsar.  Then  I  shall  sail  from 
Spain  to  Mexico  and  reach  here  as  soon  as  may 
be.  It  will  take  a  long  while,  the  best  part  of 
two  years;  but  I  have  your  word " 

"  You  have,"  the  three  asserted  with  solemn 
emphasis. 

"  Very  well.  But  there  is  one  thing  more.  I 
am  not  in  a  diplomatic  humor.  My  Sitkans  are 
starving.  I  must  leave  here  with  a  ship-load  of 
breadstuffs." 


226  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

Again  the  Governor  drew  up  his  slim  soldierly 
figure;  deposited  his  cigarette  on  the  malachite 
ash  tray.  "  You  may  be  sure  that  we  have 
given  that  momentous  question  our  deepest  con 
sideration.  Father  Abella's  suggestion  that  we 
buy  your  commodities  for  cash,  and  that  with 
our  Spanish  dollars  you  buy  again  of  us,  did  not 
strike  me  favorably  at  first,  for  it  savored  of 
sophistry.  I  may  have  failed  in  every  attempt 
to  benefit  and  advance  this  God-forsaken  country, 
but  at  least  I  have  been  the  honest  agent  of  my 
King.  But  the  circumstances  are  extraordinary. 
You  are  about  to  become  one  of  us,  to  do  our  un 
happy  colony  the  greatest  service  that  is  in  the 
power  of  any  mortal,  and  personally  you  have  in 
spired  us  with  affection  and  respect.  I  have 
therefore  decided  that  the  exchange  shall  be  made 
on  these  terms,  but  that  your  cargo  shall  be  re 
ceived  by  Don  Jose  Argiiello,  Comandante  of 
the  San  Francisco  Company,  and  held  in  trust 
until  the  formal  consent  of  the  King  to  the  pur 
chase  shall  arrive." 

Bezanov  glowed  to  his  finger  tips.  Not  even 
the  assurance  of  his  union  with  the  woman  of  his 
heart,  which  after  all  had  met  but  the  skeleton 
of  his  desires,  gave  him  the  acute  satisfaction  of 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  227 

this  sudden  fulfilment  of  his  self-imposed  mission. 
He  dropped  his  own  official  demeanor  and  throw 
ing  himself  across  the  table  gripped  the  Gover 
nor  's  hand  while  he  poured  out  his  thanks  in  a 
voice  thick  with  feeling,  his  eyes  glittering  with 
more  than  victory.  He  did  not  lose  sight  of  his 
ultimate  designs  and  pledge  himself  to  eternal 
friendship,  but  he  unwittingly  conveyed  the  im 
pression  that  Spain  had  that  day  made  a  friend 
she  could  ill  afford  to  lose ;  and  his  three  visitors 
rose  well  pleased  with  the  culmination  of  the  in 
terview. 

"  You  must  stay  here  no  longer,  Bezanov," 
said  Don  Jose,  as  they  were  taking  leave.  "  My 
house  is  now  literally  your  own.  It  will  be  some 
weeks  before  the  large  quantities  of  corn  and 
flour  and  other  stores  you  wish  can  be  got  to 
gether — for  we  must  lay  a  requisition  on  the  fer 
tile  Mission  ranchos  in  the  valleys — and  you  will 
exchange  these  narrow  quarters  for  such  poor 
comfort  as  my  house  affords — I  take  no  denial. 
Concha  will  remain  at  Juan  Moraga's  for  the 
present. " 


XXI 

CONCHA,  after  her  father  left  her,  sat  for  a  long 
while  in  an  attitude  of  such  complete  repose  that 
Sturgis,  watching  her  miserably  from  the  veran 
da,  remembered  the  consolations  of  his  sketch 
book ;  and  he  was  able  to  counterfeit  the  graceful 
proud  figure,  under  the  wall  and  the  roses,  before 
she  stirred. 

Concha  had  sent  her  father  away  deeply  puz 
zled.  When,  after  embracing  her  with  unusual 
emotion,  he  had  informed  her  of  his  consent  to 
her  marriage,  she  had  received  the  news  as  a 
matter  of  course,  her  hopes  and  desires  having 
mounted  too  high  to  contemplate  a  fall.  Then 
the  Comandante,  after  dwelling  at  some  length 
upon  his  discussions  with  the  Governor  and  the 
priests,  and  admonishing  her  against  conceiving 
herself  too  important  a  factor  in  what  might 
prove  to  be  an  alliance  of  international  moment 
(she  had  laughed  merrily  and  called  him  the  most 
callous  of  parents  and  subtlest  of  diplomats), 
had  announced  with  some  trepidation  and  his 
most  official  manner  that  the  consent  of  the  Pope 


EEZANOV  229 

and  the  King  would  be  sought  by  Eezanov  in 
person,  involving  a  delay  and  separation  of  not 
less  than  two  years.  But  to  his  surprise  she  did 
not  fling  herself  upon  his  neck  with  blandishments 
and  tears.  She  merely  became  quite  still,  her 
light  high  spirits  retreating  as  a  breeze  might  be 
fore  one  of  Nature 's  sudden  and  portentous  calms. 
Don  Jose,  after  a  fruitless  attempt  to  recapture 
her  interest,  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  away; 
and  Concha  sat  down  on  a  bench  under  the  wall 
and  thought  for  an  hour  without  moving  a  finger. 

Her  first  sensation  was  one  of  bitter  anger  and 
disappointment  with  Eezanov.  He  had,  appar 
ently,  in  the  first  brief  interview  with  their  tri 
bunal,  given  his  consent  to  this  long  delay  of  their 
nuptials. 

Her  thoughts  since  his  advent  had  flown  on 
many  journeys  and  known  little  rest.  She  had 
been  rudely  awakened  and  stripped  of  her  girlish 
illusions  in  those  days  and  nights  of  battle  be 
tween  pride  and  her  dazzled  womanhood;  when, 
in  the  humility  of  new  love,  she  believed  herself 
to  be  but  one  of  a  hundred  pretty  girls  in  the  eyes 
of  this  accomplished  and  fortunate  Eussian.  The 
interval  had  been  brief,  but  long  enough  for  the 
grandeur  in  her  nature  to  awaken  almost  concur- 


230  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

rently  with  her  passions,  and  she  had  planned  a 
life,  in  which,  guided  and  uplifted  by  the  star  of 
fidelity,  and  delivered  from  the  frivolous  and  com 
monplace  temptations  of  other  women,  she  should 
devote  herself  to  the  improvement  and  instruction 
not  only  of  the  Indians  but  of  the  youth  of  her 
own  class.  The  schools  founded  by  the  estimable 
and  enterprising  Borica  had  practically  disap 
peared,  and  she  was  by  far  the  best  educated 
woman  in  California.  For  such  there  was  a  mani 
fest  career  and  an  inexorable  duty.  She  would 
live  to  be  old,  she  supposed,  like  all  the  Argiie- 
llos  and  Moragas;  but  hidden  in  her  unspotted 
soul  would  be  the  flame  of  eternal  youth,  fed  by 
an  ideal  and  a  memory  that  would  outlive  her 
weary  insignificant  body.  And  in  it  she  would 
find  her  courage  and  her  inspiration  as  well  as 
an  unwasting  sympathy  for  those  she  taught. 

Then  had  come  the  sudden  and  passionate  woo 
ing  of  Eezanov.  All  other  ideals  and  aspirations 
had  fled.  She  had  alternated  between  the  tragic 
extremes  of  bliss  and  despair.  So  completely  did 
the  ardor  of  her  nature  respond  to  his,  so  fierce 
and  primitive  was  the  cry  of  her  ego  for  its  mate, 
that  she  cared  nothing  for  the  distress  of  her 
parents  nor  the  fate  of  California.  There  is  no 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  231 

love  complete  without  this  early  and  absolute  sel 
fishness,  which  is  merely  the  furious  determina 
tion  of  the  race  to  accomplish  its  object  before 
the  spirit  awakens  and  the  passions  cool. 

Last  night  life  had  seemed  less  serious;  she 
had  been  girlishly,  romantically  happy.  It  is 
true  that  her  heart  had  thumped  against  the  wall 
as  he  kissed  her,  and  that  she  had  been  full  of 
a  wild  desire  to  sing,  although  she  could  hardly 
shape  and  utter  the  words  that  danced  in  her 
throbbing  brain.  But  she  had  been  conscious 
through  it  all  of  the  romantic  circumstance,  of  the 
lonely  beauty  of  the  night,  of  the  delightful  wick 
edness  of  meeting  her  lover  in  the  silence  and  the 
dark,  even  with  a  wall  ten  feet  high  between  them. 
For  the  wall,  indeed,  she  had  been  confusedly  and 
deliciously  grateful. 

And  this  was  what  a  man's  love  came  to :  ardors 
by  night  and  expedience  by  day !  Or  was  it  merely 
that  Eezanov  was  the  man  of  affairs  always,  the 
lover  incidentally?  But  how  could  a  man  who 
had  seemed  the  very  epitome  of  all  the  lovers  of 
all  the  world  but  a  few  hours  before,  contemplate, 
far  less  accept,  a  separation  of  years?  Poor 
Concha  groped  toward  the  great  unacceptable 
fact  of  life  the  whole,  lit  by  love  its  chief  incident ; 


232  EEZANOV 

and  had  a  fleeting  vision  of  the  waste  lands  in 
the  lives  of  women  occupied  only  with  matrimony. 
But  she  dropped  her  lashes  upon  this  unalluring 
vision,  and  as  she  did  so,  inevitably  she  began  to 
excuse  the  man. 

None  knew  better  than  she  every  side  of  the 
great  question  that  was  shaking  not  only  her  life 
but  California  itself.  Appeal  from  the  dictum  of 
state  and  clergy  would  be  a  mere  waste  of  time. 
The  only  alternative  was  flight.  That  would 
mean  the  wreck  of  Bezanov's  avowed  purposes  in 
coming  to  this  quarter  of  New  Spain,  and  per 
haps  of  others  she  dimly  suspected.  It  would 
mean  the  very  acme  of  misery  for  his  Sitkans,  and 
an  indefensible  blow  to  the  Company.  It  might 
even  prove  the  fatal  mistake  in  his  career,  for 
which  his  enemies  were  ever  on  the  alert.  He  was 
not  communicative  about  himself  except  when  he 
had  an  object  in  view,  but  he  had  told  her  some 
thing  of  his  life,  and  his  officers  and  Langsdorff 
had  told  more.  He  was  no  silly  caballero  warbling 
and  thrumming  at  her  grating  when  she  longed 
for  sleep,  but  a  man  in  his  forties  whose  passions 
were  in  the  leash  of  a  remarkably  acute  and  am 
bitious  brain.  She  even  thrilled  with  pride  in  his 
strength,  for  she  knew  how  he  loved  her;  and  al- 


KEZANOV  233 

though  his  part  was  action,  her  stimulated  in 
stincts  taught  her  that  she  would  rarely  be  long 
from  his  mind.  And  what  was  she  to  seek  to  roll 
stumbling  blocks  into  the  career  of  a  man  like 
tliat  ?  In  this  very  garden,  for  four  long  days,  she 
had  dreamed  exalted  dreams  of  the  manifold  gifts 
she  should  develop  both  for  his  solace  at  home  and 
his  worldly  advancement.  She  had  once  felt  all  a 
girl's  impatience  when  her  mother's  tears  made 
her  father's  departure  on  some  distant  mission 
more  difficult  than  need  be,  and  although  she  knew 
now  that  her  capacity  for  tenderness  was  as  great, 
she  resolved  to  mould  herself  in  a  larger  shape 
than  that. 

But  she  sighed  and  drooped  a  little.  The  bur 
den  of  woman's  waiting  seemed  already  to  have 
descended  upon  her.  Two  years  were  long — long. 
There  might  be  other  delays.  He  might  fall  ill; 
he  had  been  ill  before  in  that  barbarous  Eussian 
north.  And  in  all  that  time  it  was  doubtful  if  she 
received  a  line  from  him,  a  hint  of  his  welfare. 
The  Boston  and  British  skippers  came  no  more, 
and  it  was  certain  that  no  Eussian  ship  would 
visit  California  again  until  the  treaty  was 
signed  and  official  news  of  it  had  made  its  slow 
way  to  these  uttermost  shores.  She  had  resented, 


234  EEZANOV 

in  her  young  ambition  and  indocility,  the  chance 
that  had  stranded  her,  equipped  for  civilization, 
on  this  rim  of  the  world,  but  never  so  much  as  in 
that  moment,  when  she  sat  with  arrested  breath 
and  realized  to  the  full  the  primitive  conditions 
of  a  country  thousands  of  miles  from  the  very 
outposts  of  Europe,  and  with  never  the  sight  of 
a  letter  that  did  not  come  from  Spain  or  one  of 
her  colonies. 

"  Would  that  we  lived  a  generation  later/'  she 
thought  with  a  heavy  sigh.  "  Progress  is  almost 
automatic,  and  to  a  land  as  fertile  and  desirable 
as  this  the  stream  must  turn  in  due  course.  But 
not  in  my  time.  Not  in  my  time. ' ' 

She  rose  and  leaned  her  elbows  in  the  embra 
sure  of  the  grille,  where  Santiago  had  restored  the 
bars,  and  looked  out  over  the  fields  of  grain 
planted  by  the  padres,  the  immense  sand  dunes  be 
yond,  that  shut  the  lovely  bay  from  sight ;  the  hills 
embracing  the  primitive  scene  in  a  frowning  arc. 
With  all  her  imagination  it  was  long  before  she 
could  picture  a  great  city  covering  that  immense 
and  almost  desert  space.  A  pueblo  in  time,  per 
haps,  for  Eezanov  had  awakened  her  mind  to  the 
importance  of  the  harbor  as  a  port  of  call.  Many 
more  adobe  homes  where  the  sand  was  not  hot 
and  shifting,  a  few  ships  in  the  bay  when  Spain 


R  E  Z  A  N  0  V  235 

had  been  compelled  to  relax  her  jealous  vigilance 
__or — who  knew? — perhaps ! — a  flourishing  colony 
when  the  Russian  bear  had  devoured  the  Spanish 
lion.  She  knew  something  and  suspected  more  of 
the  rottenness  and  inefficiency  of  Spain,  and,  were 
Russia  a  nation  of  Rezanovs,  what  opposition  in 
California  against  the  tide  thundering  down  from 
the  north?  Then,  perhaps,  the  city  that  had  trav 
elled  from  the  brain  of  the  Russian  to  hers  when 
the  fog  had  rolled  over  the  heights;  the  towers 
and  palaces  and  bazaars,  the  thousand  little 
golden  domes  with  the  slender  cross  atop;  the 
forts  on  the  crags  and  the  villas  in  the  hollows, 
and  on  all  the  islands  and  hills.  But  when  she  and 
her  lover  were  dust.  When  she  and  her  lover 
were  dust. 

But  she  was  too  young  and  too  ardent  to  listen 
long  to  the  ravens  of  the  spirit.  Two  years  are 
not  eternity,  and  in  happiness  the  past  rolls  to 
gether  like  a  scroll  and  is  naught.  She  fell  to 
dreaming.  Her  lips  that  had  been  set  with  the 
gravity  of  stone  relaxed  in  warm  curves.  The 
color  came  back  to  her  cheek,  the  light  to  her  eyes. 
She  was  a  girl  at  her  grating  with  the  roses  poign 
ant  above  her,  and  the  world,  radiant,  alluring, 
and  all  for  her,  swimming  in  the  violet  haze 
beyond. 


xxn 

EEZANOV  in  those  days  was  literally  lord  and 
master  at  the  Presidio.  If  he  did  not  burn  the 
house  of  his  devoted  host  he  ran  it  to  suit  him 
self.  He  turned  one  of  its  rooms  into  an  office, 
where  he  received  the  envoys  from  the  different 
Missions  and  examined  the  samples  of  everything 
submitted  to  him,  trusting  little  to  his  commis 
sary.  His  leisure  he  employed  scouring  the  coun 
try  or  shooting  deer  and  quail  in  the  company 
of  his  younger  hosts.  The  literal  mind  of  Don 
Jose  accepted  him  as  an  actual  son  and  embryonic 
Californian,  and,  his  conscience  at  peace,  revelled 
in  his  society  as  a  sign  from  propitiated  heaven ; 
rejoicing  in  the  virtue  of  his  years.  The  Gover 
nor,  testily  remarking  that  as  California  was  so 
well  governed  for  the  present  he  would  retire  to 
Monterey  and  take  a  siesta,  rode  off  one  morning, 
but  not  without  an  affectionate:  "  God  preserve 
the  life  of  your  excellency  many  years." 

But  although  Eezanov  saw  the  most  sanguine 
hopes  that  had  brought  him  to  California  fulfilled, 
and  although  he  looked  from  the  mountain  ridges 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  237 

of  the  east  over  the  great  low  valleys  watered  by 
rivers  and  shaded  by  oaks,  where  enough  grain 
could  be  raised  to  keep  the  blood  red  in  a  thousand 
times  the  colonial  population  of  Eussia,  although 
he  felt  himself  in  more  and  more  abundant  health, 
more  and  more  in  love  with  life,  it  is  not  to  be 
supposed  for  a  moment  that  he  was  satisfied. 
Concha  he  barely  saw.  She  remained  with  the 
Moragas,  and  although  she  came  occasionally  to 
the  afternoon  dances  at  the  Presidio,  and  he  had 
dined  once  at  her  cousin 's  house,  where  the  formal 
betrothal  had  taken  place  and  the  marriage  con 
tract  had  been  signed  in  the  presence  of  her 
family  and  more  intimate  friends,  the  priests, 
his  officers,  and  the  Governor,  he  had  not 
spoken  with  her  for  a  moment  alone.  Nor  had 
her  eyes  met  his  in  a  glance  of  understanding. 
At  the  dances  she  showed  him  no  favor;  and 
as  the  engagement  was  to  be  as  secret  as 
might  be  in  that  small  community,  until  his 
return  with  consent  of  Pope  and  King,  he  was 
forced  to  concede  that  her  conduct  was  irreproacn- 
able ;  but  when  on  the  day  of  the  betrothal  she  was 
oblivious  to  his  efforts  to  draw  her  into  the  gar 
den,  he  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  off  in  a  huff. 
The  truth  was  that  Concha  liked  the  present 


238  EEZANOV 

arrangement  no  better  than  himself,  and  knowing 
that  her  own  appeal  against  the  proprieties  would 
result  in  a  deeper  seclusion,  she  determined  to 
goad  him  into  using  every  resource  of  address  and 
subtlety  to  bring  about  a  more  human  state  of 
affairs.  And  she  accomplished  her  object.  Eez- 
anov,  at  the  end  of  a  week,  was  not  only  infuri 
ated  but  alarmed.  He  knew  the  imagination  of 
woman,  and  guessed  that  Concha,  in  her  brooding 
solitude,  distorted  all  that  was  unfortunate  in  the 
present  and  dwelt  morbidly  on  the  future.  He 
knew  that  she  must  resent  his  part  in  the  long 
separation,  no  doubt  his  lack  of  impulsiveness  in 
not  proposing  elopement.  There  was  a  priest  in 
his  company  who,  although  he  ate  below  the  salt 
and  found  his  associates  among  the  sailors,  could 
have  performed  the  ceremony  of  marriage  when 
the  Juno,  under  full  sail  in  the  night,  was  scud 
ding  for  the  Eussian  north.  It  is  not  to  be  denied 
that  this  romantic  alternative  appealed  to  Eez- 
anov,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  starving  wretches 
so  eagerly  awaiting  his  coming  he  might  have 
been  tempted  to  throw  commercial  relations  to 
the  winds  and  flee  with  his  bride  while  San  Fran 
cisco,  secure  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Juno's 
empty  hold,  was  in  its  first  heavy  sleep.  It  is 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  239 

doubtful  if  lie  would  have  advanced  beyond  im 
pulse,  for  Kezanov  was  not  the  man  to  lose  sight 
of  a  purpose  to  which  he  had  set  the  full  strength 
of  his  talents,  and  life  had  tempered  his  impetuous 
nature  with  much  philosophy.  Moreover,  while 
his  conscience  might  ignore  the  double  dealing 
necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of  patriotic  or 
political  acts,  it  revolted  at  the  idea  of  outwit 
ting,  possibly  wrecking,  his  trusting  and  hospi 
table  host.  But  the  mere  fact  that  his  imagination 
could  dwell  upon  such  an  issue  as  reckless  flight, 
inflamed  his  impatience,  and  his  desire  to  see 
Concha  daily  during  these  last  few  weeks  of 
propinquity.  Finally  he  sought  the  cooperation 
of  Father  Abella,  and  that  wise  student  of  maids 
and  men  gave  him  cheer. 

On  Thursday  afternoon  there  was  to  take  place 
the  long  delayed  Indian  dance  and  bull-bear  fight; 
not  in  the  Presidio,  but  at  the  Mission,  the  pride 
of  the  friars  inciting  them  to  succeed  where  the 
military  authorities  had  failed.  All  the  little 
world  of  San  Francisco  would  be  there,  and  it 
would  be  strange  if  in  the  confusion  between  per 
formance  and  supper  a  lover  could  not  find  a 
moment  alone  with  his  lady. 

The  elements  were  kind  to  the  padres.     The 


240  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

afternoon  was  not  too  hot,  although  the  sun 
flooded  the  plain  and  there  was  not  a  cloud  on 
the  dazzling  blue  of  the  sky.  Never  had  the  Mis 
sion  and  the  mansions  looked  so  white,  their  tiles 
so  red.  The  trees  were  blossoming  pink  and  white 
in  the  orchards,  the  lightest  breeze  rippled  the 
green  of  the  fields;  and  into  this  valley  came 
neither  the  winds  nor  the  fogs  of  the  ocean. 

The  priests  and  their  guests  of  honor  sat  on 
the  long  corridor  beside  the  church;  the  soldiers, 
sailors  and  Indians  of  Presidio  and  Mission  form 
ing  the  other  three  sides  of  a  hollow  square.  The 
Indian  women  were  a  blaze  of  color.  The  ladies 
on  the  corridor  wore  their  mantillas,  jewels,  and 
the  gayest  of  artificial  flowers.  There  were  as 
many  fans  as  women.  Eezanov  sat  between 
Father  Abella  and  the  Comandante,  and  not 
being  in  the  best  of  tempers  had  never  looked 
more  imposing  and  remote.  Concha,  leaning 
against  one  of  the  pillars,  stole  a  glance  at  him 
and  wondered  miserably  if  this  haughty  Euro 
pean  had  really  sought  her  hand,  if  it  were  not  a 
girl's  foolish  dream.  But  Concha's  humble  mo 
ments  at  this  period  of  her  life  were  rare,  and  she 
drew  herself  up  proudly,  the  blood  of  the  proudest 
race  in  Europe  shaking  angrily  in  her  veins. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  241 

A  moment  later,  in  response  to  a  power  greater 
than  any  within  herself,  she  turned  again.  The 
attention  of  hosts  and  guests  was  riveted  upon 
the  preliminary  antics  of  the  Indian  dancers,  and 
Rezanov  seized  the  opportunity  to  lean  forward 
unobserved  and  gaze  at  the  girl  whom  it  seemed 
to  him  he  saw  for  the  first  time  in  the  full  splen 
dor  of  her  beauty.  She  wore  a  large  mantilla  of 
white  Spanish  lace.  In  the  fashion  of  the  day  it 
rose  at  the  back  almost  from  the  hem  of  her  gown 
to  descend  in  a  point  over  the  high  comb  to  her 
eyes.  The  two  points  of  the  width  were  gathered 
at  her  breast,  defining  the  outlines  of  her  superb 
figure,  and  fastened  with  one  large  Castilian  rose 
surrounded  by  its  mass  of  tiny  sharp  buds  and  dull 
green  leaves.  As  the  familiar  scent  assailed  Kez- 
anov's  nostrils  they  tingled  and  expanded.  His 
lids  were  lifted  and  his  eyes  glowing  as  he  finally 
compelled  her  glance,  and  her  own  eyes  opened 
with  an  eager  flash ;  her  lips  parted  and  her  shoul 
ders  lost  their  haughty  poise.  For  a  moment  their 
gaze  lingered  in  a  perfect  understanding;  his  ill- 
humor  vanished,  and  he  leaned  back  with  a  com 
plimentary  remark  as  Father  Abella  directed  his 
attention  to  the  most  agile  of  the  Indians. 
The  swart  natives  of  both  sexes  with  their  thick 


242  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

features  and  long  hair  were  even  more  hideous 
than  usual  in  bandeaux  of  bright  feathers,  scant 
garments  made  from  the  breasts  of  water-fowls, 
rattling  strings  of  shells,  and  tattooing  on  arm 
and  leg  no  longer  concealed  by  the  decorous  Mis 
sion  smock.  Bezanov  had  that  day  sent  them 
presents  of  glass  beads  and  ribbons,  and  in  these 
they  took  such  extravagant  pride  that  for  some 
time  their  dancing  was  almost  automatic. 

But  soon  their  blood  warmed,  and  after  the 
first  dance,  which  was  merely  a  series  of  measured 
springs  on  the  part  of  the  men  and  a  beating  of 
time  by  the  women,  a  large  straw  figure  symboliz 
ing  an  entire  hostile  tribe  was  brought  in,  and 
about  this  pranced  the  men  with  savage  cries  and 
gestures,  advancing,  attacking,  retreating,  finally 
piercing  it  with  their  arrows  and  marching  it  off 
with  sharp  yells  of  triumph  that  reverberated 
among  the  hills;  the  women  never  varying  from 
a  loud  monotonous  chant. 

There  was  a  peaceful  interlude,  during  which 
the  men,  holding  bow  and  arrow  aloft,  hopped  up 
and  down  on  one  spot,  the  women  hopping  beside 
them  and  snapping  thumb  and  forefinger  on  the 
body,  still  singing  in  the  same  high  measured 
voice.  But  while  they  danced  a  great  bonfire  was 


EEZANOV  243 

laid  and  kindled.  The  gyrations  lasted  a  few  mo 
ments  longer,  then  the  chief  seized  a  live  ember 
and  swallowed  it.  His  example  was  immediately: 
followed  by  his  tribe,  and,  whether  to  relieve  dis 
comfort  or  with  energies  but  quickened,  they  exe 
cuted  a  series  of  incredible  handsprings  and  acro 
batic  capers.  When  they  finally  whirled  away 
on  toes  and  finger  tips,  another  chief,  in  the  horns 
and  hide  of  a  deer,  rushed  in,  pursued  by  a  party 
of  hunters.  For  several  moments  he  perfectly 
simulated  a  hunted  animal,  lurking  and  dodging 
in  high  grass,  behind  trees,  venturing  to  the  brink 
of  a  stream  to  drink,  searching  eagerly  for  his 
mate;  and  when  he  finally  escaped  it  was  amidst 
the  most  enthusiastic  plaudits  as  yet  evoked. 

After  an  hour  of  this  varied  performance,  the 
square  was  enlarged  by  several  mounted  vaqueros 
galloping  about  with  warning  cries  and  much 
flourishing  of  lasso.  They  were  the  cattle  herd 
ers  of  the  Mission  ranch  just  over  the  hills,  and 
were  in  gala  attire  of  black  glazed  sombrero  with 
silver  cord,  white  shirt  open  at  the  throat,  short 
black  velvet  trousers  laced  with  silver,  red  sash 
and  high  yellow  boots.  Four,  pistol  in  hand,  sta 
tioned  themselves  in  front  of  the  corridor,  while 
the  others  rode  out  and  in  again,  dragging  a  bear 


244  EEZANOV 

and  a  bull,  with  hind  legs  attached  by  two  yards 
of  rope.  The  captors  left  the  captives  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  square,  and  without  more  ado  the 
serious  sport  of  the  day  began.  The  bull,  with 
stomach  empty  and  hide  inflamed,  rushed  at  the 
bear,  furious  from  captivity,  with  such  a  roar 
that  the  Indian  women  screamed  and  even  the 
men  shuffled  their  feet  uneasily.  But  neither  com 
batant  was  interested  in  aught  but  the  other.  The 
one  sought  to  gore,  his  enemy  to  strike  or  hug. 
The  vaqueros  teased  them  with  arrows  and  cries, 
the  dust  flew;  for  a  few  moments  there  was  but 
a  heaving,  panting,  lashing  bulk  in  the  middle 
of  the  arena,  and  then  the  bull,  his  tongue  torn 
out,  rolled  on  his  back,  and  another  was  driven 
in  before  the  victor  could  wreak  his  unsated  ven 
geance  among  the  spectators.  The  bear,  dragging 
the  dead  bull,  rushed  at  the  living,  who,  unmar- 
tial  at  first,  stiffened  to  the  defensive  as  he  saw 
a  bulk  of  wiry  fur  set  with  eyes  of  fire,  almost 
upon  him.  He  sprang  aside,  lowered  his  horns, 
and  caught  the  bear  in  the  chest.  But  the  victor 
was  a  compact  mass  of  battle  and  momentum.  His 
onslaught  flung  the  bear  over  backward,  and 
quickly  disengaging  himself  he  made  another 
leap  at  his  equally  agile  enemy.  This  time  the 


R  E  Z  A  N  0  V  245 

battle  was  longer  and  more  various,  for  the  bull 
was  smaller,  more  active  and  dexterous.  Twice 
lie  almost  had  the  bear  on  his  horns,  but  was 
rolled,  only  saving  his  neck  and  back  from  the 
fury  of  the  mountain  beast  by  such  a  kicking  and 
leaping  that  both  combatants  were  indistinguish 
able  from  the  whirlwind  of  dust.  Out  of  this  they 
would  emerge  to  stand  panting  in  front  of  each 
other  with  tongues  pendant  and  red  eyes  rolling. 
Finally  the  bear,  nearly  exhausted,  made  a  sud 
den  charge,  the  bull  leaped  aside,  back  again  with 
incredible  swiftness,  caught  the  bear  in  the  belly, 
tossed  him  so  high  that  he  met  the  hard  earth 
with  a  loud  cracking  of  bone.  The  vaqueros  cir 
cled  about  the  maddened  bull,  set  his  hide  thick 
with  arrows,  tripped  him  with  the  lasso.  A  wiry 
little  Mexican  in  yellow,  galloping  in  on  his  mus 
tang,  administered  the  coup  de  grace  amidst  the 
wild  applause  of  the  spectators,  whose  shouting 
and  clapping  and  stamping  might  have  been 
heard  by  the  envious  guard  at  the  Presidio  and 
Yerba  Buena, 

As  the  party  on  the  corridor  broke,  Eezanov 
found  no  difficulty  in  reaching  Concha's  side,  for 
even  Dona  Ignacia  was  chattering  wildly  with 
several  other  good  dames  who  renewed  their 
youth  briefly  at  the  bull-fight, 


246  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

"  Did  you  enjoy  that!  "  he  asked  curiously. 

' i  I  did  not  look  at  it.  I  never  do.  But  I  know 
that  you  were  not  affronted.  You  never  took  your 
eyes  from  those  dreadful  beasts." 

"  I  am  exhilarated  to  know  that  you  watched 
me.  Yes,  at  a  bull-fight  the  primitive  man  in  me 
has  its  way,  although  I  have  the  grace  to  be 
ashamed  of  myself  afterward.  In  that  I  am  at 
least  one  degree  more  civilized  than  your  race, 
which  never  repents." 

The  door  of  one  of  the  smaller  rooms  stood  open, 
and  as  they  took  advantage  of  this  oversight  with 
a  singular  concert  of  motive,  he  took  both  her 
hands  in  his.  "  Are  you  angry  with  me?  "  he 
asked  softly.  He  dared  not  close  the  door,  but 
his  back  was  square  against  it,  and  the  other 
guests  were  moving  down  to  the  refectory. 

"  For  liking  such  horrid  sport?  ' 

"  We  have  no  time  to  waste  in  coquetry." 

Her  eyes  melted,  but  she  could  not  resist  plant 
ing  a  dart.  "  Not  now— I  quite  understand:  love 
could  never  be  first  with  you.  And  two  years  are 
not  so  long.  They  quickly  pass  when  one  is  busy. 
I  shall  find  occupation,  and  you  will  have  no  time 
for  longings  and  regrets." 

(They  were  not  yet  alone,  women  were  talking 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  247 

in  their  light  high  voices  not  a  yard  away.  ,The 
hindrance  and  her  new  loveliness  in  the  soft  man 
tilla,  the  pink  of  the  roses  reflected  in  her  throat, 
the  provocative  curl  of  her  mouth,  sent  the  blood 
to  his  head. 

"  You  have  only  to  say  the  word,"  he  said 
hoarsely,  "  and  the  Juno  will  sail  to-night." 

Never  before  had  she  seen  his  face  so  unmasked. 
Her  voice  shook  in  triumph  and  response. 

"  Would  you?     Would  you?  " 

66  Say  the  word!  " 

"  You  would  sacrifice  all— the  Company— your 
career— your  Sitkans?  ' 

66  All— everything."  His  own  voice  shook  with 
more  than  passion,  for  even  in  that  moment  he 
counted  the  cost,  but  he  did  not  care. 

But  Concha  detected  that  second  break  in  his 
voice,  and  turned  her  head  sadly. 

"  You  would  not  say  that  to-morrow.  I  hate 
myself  that  I  made  you  say  it  now.  I  love  you 
enough  to  wait  forever,  but  I  have  not  the  cour 
age  to  hand  you  over  to  your  enemies." 

"  You  are  strangely  far-sighted  for  a  young 
girl."  And  between  admiration  and  pique,  his 
ardor  suffered  a  chill. 

"  I  am  no  longer  a  young  girl.    In  these  last 


248  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

days  it  has  seemed  to  me  that  secrets  locked  in 
my  brain,  secrets  of  women  long  dead,  but  of 
whose  essence  I  am,  have  come  forth  to  the  light. 

I  have  suffered  in  anticipation.     My  mind  has 
flown— flown— I  have  lived  those  two  years  until 
they  are  twenty,  thirty,  and  I  have  lived  on  into 
old  age  here  by  the  sea,  watching,  watching— 

She  had  dropped  all  pretence  of  coquetry  and 
was  speaking  with  a  passionate  forlornness.  But 
before  he  could  interrupt  her,  take  advantage  of 
the  retreating  voices  that  left  them  alone  at  last, 
she  had  drawn  herself  up  and  moved  a  step  away. 

II  Do   not    think,   however,"    she   said   proudly, 
"  that  I  am  really  as  weak  and  silly  as  that.    It 
was  only  a  mood.    Should  you  not  return  I  should 
grieve,  yes;  and  should  I  live  as  long  as  is  com 
mon  with  my  race,  still  would  my  heart  remain 
young  with  your  image,   and  with   the   fidelity 
that  would  be  no  less  a  religion  than  that  of  my 
church.    But  I  should  not  live  a  selfish  life,  or  I 
should  be  unworthy  of  my  election  to  experience 
a  great  and  eternal  passion.    Memory  and  the  life 
of  the  imagination  would  be  my  solace,  possibly 
in  time  my  happiness,  but  my  days  I  should  give 
to  this  poor  little  world  of  ours;  and  all  that  one 
mortal,  and  that  a  woman,  has  to  bestow  upon  a 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  249 

stranded  and  benighted  people.  It  may  not  be 
much,  but  I  make  you  that  promise,  senor,  that 
you  will  not  think  me  a  foolish  romantic  girl  un 
worthy  of  the  great  responsibilities  you  have 
offered  me. ' ' 

"  Concha!  '  He  was  deeply  moved,  and  at 
the  same  time  her  words  chilled  him  with  subtle 
prophecy,  sank  into  some  unexplored  depth  of 
his  consciousness,  meeting  response  as  subtle,  fill 
ing  him  with  a  rush  of  angry  impatience  at  the 
mortality  of  man.  He  glanced  over  his  shoulder, 
then  took  her  recklessly  in  his  arms. 

"Is  it  possible  you  doubt  I  will  come  back?  " 
he  demanded.  "  My  faith?  " 

"  No,  not  that.  But  such  happiness  seems  to 
me  too  great  for  this  life." 

He  remembered  how  often  he  had  been  close  to 
death;  he  knew  that  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  next  two  years  he  should  see  the  glimmer  of 
the  scythe  oftener  yet.  For  a  moment  it  seemed 
to  him  that  he  felt  the  dark  waters  rise  in  his 
soul,  heard  the  jeers  of  the  gods  at  the  vanity 
of  mortal  will.  But  the  blood  ran  strong  and  warm 
in  his  veins,  He  shook  off  the  obsession,  and 
smiled  a  little  cynically,  even  as  he  kissed  her. 

"  This  is  the  hour  for  romance,  my  dear.    la 


250  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

the  years  to  come,  when  you  are  very  prosaically 
my  wife  with  a  thousand  duties,  and  grumbling 
at  my  exactions,  your  consolation  will  be  the 
memory  of  some  moment  like  this,  when  you  were 
able  to  feel  romantic  and  sad.  I  wish  I  could  ar 
range  for  some  such  set  of  memories  for  myself, 
but  I  am  unequal  to  your  divine  melancholy. 
When  I  cannot  see  you  I  am  cross  and  sulky;  and 
just  now— I  am,  well— philosophically  happy. 
Some  day  I  shall  be  happier,  but  this  is  well 
enough.  And  I  can  harbor  no  ugly  presentiments. 
As  I  entered  California  I  was  elated  with  a  sense 
of  coming  happiness,  of  future  victories;  and  I 
prefer  to  dwell  upon  that,  the  more  particularly 
as  in  a  measure  the  prophetic  hint  has  been  ful 
filled.  So  make  the  most  of  the  present.  I  shall 
see  you  daily  during  this  last  precious  fortnight, 
for  I  am  determined  this  arrangement  shall  cease ; 
and  you  must  exorcise  coquetry  and  abet  me  when 
ever  there  is  a  chance  of  a  word  alone." 

She  nodded,  but  she  noted  with  a  sigh  that  he 
said  no  more  of  sudden  flight.  She  would  never 
have  consented  to  jeopardize  the  least  of  his  in 
terests,  but  she  fain  would  have  been  besought. 
The  experience  she  had  had  of  the  vehemence  and 
fire  in  Eezanov  made  her  long  for  his  complete 


EEZANOV  251 

subjugation  and  the  happiness  it  must  bring  to 
herself.  But  as  he  smiled  tenderly  above  her  she 
saw  that  his  practical  brain  had  silenced  the  irre 
sponsible  demands  of  love,  and  although  she  did 
not  withdraw  from  his  arm  she  stiffened  her  head. 

"  I  fancy  I  shall  return  home  to-morrow,"  she 
said.  "  My  mother  tells  me  that  she  can  live 
without  me  no  longer,  and  that  Father  Abella  has 
reminded  her  that  if  I  stay  in  the  house  of  Elena 
Castro  I  shall  be  as  free  from  gossip  as  here.  I 
infer  that  he  has  rated  my  two  parents  for  mak 
ing  a  martyr  of  me  unnecessarily,  and  told  them 
it  was  a  duty  to  enliven  my  life  as  much  as  pos 
sible  before  I  enter  upon  this  long  'period  of  pro 
bation.  The  grating  of  my  room  at  Elena's  is 
above  a  little  strip  of  garden,  and  faces  the  blank 
wall  of  the  next  house.  Sometimes— who  knows?  " 
She  shrugged  her  shoulders  and  gave  a  gay  little 
laugh,  then  stood  very  erect  and  moved  past  him 
to  the  door.  She  had  recognized  the  shuffling  step 
of  Father  Abella. 

' '  Is  supper  ready,  padre  mio  ?  ' '  she  asked 
sweetly.  "  His  excellency  and  I  have  talked  so 
much  that  we  are  very  hungry. ' ' 

"  There  is  no  need  to  deceive  me,"  said  Father 
Abella  dryly.  ' '  You  are  not  the  first  lovers  I  have 


252  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

known,  although  I  will  admit  you  are  by  far  the 
most  interesting,  and  for  that  reason  I  have  had 
the  wickedness  to  abet  you.  But  I  fancy  the  good 
God  will  forgive  me.  Come  quickly.  They  are 
scattered  now,  but  will  go  to  the  refectory  in  a 
moment  and  miss  you.  Excellency,  will  you 
give  your  arm  to  Doila  Ignacia  and  take  the 
seat  at  the  head  of  the  table?  Concha,  my  child, 
I  am  afraid  you  must  console  our  good  Don  Wee- 
liam.  He  is  having  a  wretched  quarter  of  an  hour, 
but  has  loyally  diverted  the  attention  of  your 
mother. ' ' 

"  That  is  the  vocation  of  certain  men,"  said 
Concha  lightly. 


XXIII 

LIFE  was  very  gay  for  a  fortnight.  An 
hour  after  the  Comandante  's  surrender  he 
had  despatched  invitations  to  all  the  young  folk 
of  the  Gente  de  Eazon  of  Monterey,  Santa  Bar 
bara,  Los  Angeles,  and  San  Diego,  and  to  such  of 
the  older  as  would  brave  the  long  journeys. 
The  Monterefios  had  arrived  for  the  Mission  en 
tertainment,  and  during  the  next  few  days  the 
rest  poured  over  the  hills:  De  la  Guerras, 
Xirnenos,  Estudillos,  Carrillos,  Estenegas, 
Morenos,  Cotas,  Estradas,  Picos,  Pachecos, 
Lugos,  Ortegas,  Alvarados,  Bandinis,  Peraltas, 
members  of  the  Luis,  Kodriguez,  Lopez  families 
all  of  gentle  blood,  that  made  up  the  society  of 
Old  California;  as  gay,  arcadian,  irresponsible, 
yet  moral  a  society  as  ever  fluttered  over  this 
planet.  Every  house  in  the  Presidio  and  valley, 
every  spare  room  at  the  Mission,  opened  to  them 
with  the  exuberant  hospitality  of  the  country. 
The  caballeros  had  their  finest  wardrobes  of  col 
ored  silks  and  embroidered  botas,  sombreros 
laden  with  silver,  fine  lawn  and  lace,  jewel  and 


254  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

sash,  velvet  serape  for  the  chill  of  the  late  after 
noon.  The  matrons  brought  their  stiff  robes  of 
red  and  yellow  satin,  the  girls  as  many  flowered 
silks  and  lawns,  mantillas  and  rebosos,  as  the 
family  carretas  would  hold.  The  square  of  the 
Presidio  was  crowded  from  morning  until  mid 
night  with  the  spirited  horses  of  the  country, 
prancing  impatiently  under  the  heavy  Mexican 
saddle,  heavier  with  silver,  made  a  trifle  more 
endurable  by  the  blanket  of  velvet  or  cloth.  No 
Californian  walked  a  dozen  rods  when  he  had  a 
horse  to  carry  him. 

But  the  horses  were  not  always  champing  in 
the  square.  There  was  more  than  one  bull-bear 
fight,  and  twice  a  week  at  least  they  carried  their 
owners  to  the  hills  of  the  Mission  ranch,  or  the 
rocky  cliffs  and  gorges  above  Yerba  Buena,  the 
Indian  servants  following  with  great  baskets  of 
luncheon,  perhaps  roasting  an  ox  whole  in  a 
trench.  This  the  Californians  called  barbecue 
and  the  picnic  merienda. 

There  was  dancing  day  and  night,  the  tinkling 
of  guitars,  flirting  of  fans.  Bezanov  vowed  he 
would  not  have  believed  there  were  so  many  fans 
and  guitars  in  the  world,  and  suddenly  remem 
bered  he  had  never  seen  Concha  with  either. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  255 

The  lady  of  his  choice  reigned  supreme.  Many 
had  taken  the  long  blistering  journey  for  no 
other  purpose  than  to  see  the  famous  beauty  and 
her  Eussian;  the  engagement  was  as  well  known 
as  if  cried  from  the  Mission  top.  The  girls  were 
surprised  and  delighted  to  find  Concha  sweet 
rather  than  proud  and  envied  her  with  amiable 
enthusiasm.  The  caballeros,  fewer  in  number, 
for  most  of  the  men  in  California  at  that  period 
before  a  freer  distribution  of  land  were  on  duty 
in  the  army,  artfully  ignored  the  unavowed  bond, 
but  liked  Eezanov  when  he  took  the  trouble  to 
charm  them. 

Khostov  and  Davidov  watched  the  loading  of 
the  Juno  with  a  lively  regret.  Never  had  they 
enjoyed  themselves  more,  nor  seen  so  many 
pretty  girls  in  one  place.  Both  had  begun  by 
falling  in  love  with  Concha,  and  although  they 
rebounded  swiftly  from  the  blow  to  their  hopes, 
it  happily  saved  them  from  a  more  serious  di 
lemma;  unwealthed  and  graceless  as  they  were, 
they  would  have  been  regarded  with  little  favor 
by  the  practical  Californian  father.  As  it  was, 
their  pleasures  were  unpoisoned  by  regrets  or 
rebuff.  When  they  were  not  flirting  in  the  dance 
or  in  front  of  a  lattice,  receiving  a  lesson  in  Span- 


256  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

ish  behind  the  portly  back  of  a  duena,  or  clasp 
ing  brown  little  fingers  under  cover  of  a  fan  when 
all  eyes  were  riveted  on  the  death  struggle  of  a 
bull  and  a  bear,  they  were  playing  cards  and 
drinking  in  the  officers '  quarters ;  which  they  liked 
almost  as  well.  It  is  true  they  sometimes  paid 
the  price  in  a  cutting  rebuke  from  their  chief,  but 
the  rebukes  were  not  as  frequent  as  in  less  toward 
circumstances,  and  were  generally  followed  by 
some  fresh  indulgence.  This,  they  uneasily 
guessed,  was  not  only  the  result  of  the  equable 
state  of  his  excellency's  temper,  but  because  he 
had  a  signal  unpleasantness  in  store,  and  would 
not  hazard  their  resignation.  They  had  taken  ad 
vantage  of  an  imperial  ukase  to  enter  the  service 
of  the  Eussian-American  Company  temporarily, 
and  they  knew  that  if  they  evaded  any  behest 
of  Eezanov's  their  adventurous  life  in  the  Pacific 
would  be  over.  Therefore,  although  they  re 
sented  his  implacable  will,  they  pulled  with  him  in 
outward  amity;  and  indeed  there  were  few  of 
the  Juno's  human  freight  that  did  not  look  back 
upon  that  California  springtime  as  the  episode 
of  their  lives,  commonly  stormy  or  monotonous, 
in  which  the  golden  tide  flowed  with  least  alloy. 
Even  Langsdorff,  although  impervious  to  female 


EEZANOV  257 

charms  and  with  scientific  thirst  unslaked,  en 
joyed  the  Spanish  fare  and  the  society  of  the 
priests.  The  sailors  received  many  privileges, 
attended  bull-fights  and  fandangos,  loved  and 
pledged;  and  were  only  restrained  from  emigra 
tion  to  the  interior  of  this  enchanted  land  of 
pretty  girls  and  plentiful  food  by  the  knowledge 
of  the  sure  and  merciless  vengeance  of  their  chief. 
Had  the  rumor  of  war  still  held  it  might  have  been 
otherwise,  but  that  raven  had  flown  off  to  the 
limbo  of  its  kind,  and  the  Cornandante  let  it  be 
known  that  deserters  would  be  summarily  cap 
tured  and  sent  in  irons  to  the  Juno. 

In  the  mind  of  Concha  Argiiello  there  was  never 
a  lingering  doubt  of  the  quality  of  that  fortnight 
between  the  days  of  torturing  doubts  and  acute 
emotional  upheaval,  and  the  sailing  away  of  Eez- 
anov.  It  was  true  that  what  he  banteringly 
termed  her  romantic  sadness  possessed  her  at 
times,  but  it  served  as  a  shadow  to  throw  into 
sharper  relief  an  almost  incredible  happiness. 
If  she  seldom  saw  Bezanov  alone  there  was  the 
less  to  disturb  her,  and  at  least  he  was  never  far 
from  her  side.  There  were  always  the  delight 
of  unexpected  moments  unseen,  whispered  words 
in  the  crowd,  the  sense  of  complete  understand- 


258  B  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

ing,  broken  now  and  again  by  poignant  attacks 
of  unreasoning  jealousy,  not  only  on  her  part  but 
his;  quite  worth  the  reconciliation  at  the  lattice, 
while  Elena  Castro,  gentle  duena,  pitched  her 
voice  high  and  amused  her  husband  so  well  he 
sought  no  opportunity  for  response. 

Then  there  was  more  than  one  excursion  about 
the  bay  on  the  Juno,  dinner  on  La  Bellissima  or 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Angeles,  a  long  return  after 
sundown  that  the  southerners  might  appreciate 
the  glory  of  the  sunsets,  when  the  blue  of  the 
water  was  reflected  in  the  lower  sky,  to  melt  into 
the  pink  fire  above,  and  all  the  land  swam  in  a 
pearly  mist. 

Once  the  Comandante  took  twenty  of  his 
guests,  a  gay  cavalcade,  to  his  rancho,  El  Pilar, 
thirty  miles  to  the  south :  a  long  valley  flanked  by 
the  bay  and  the  eastern  mountains  on  the  one 
hand,  and  a  high  range  dense  with  forests  of  tall 
thin  trees  on  the  other.  But  the  valley  itself  was 
less  Californian  than  any  part  of  the  country 
Bezanov  had  seen.  Smooth  and  flat  and  free  of 
undergrowth  and  set  with  at  least  ten  thousand 
oaks,  it  looked  more  like  a  splendid  English  park, 
I  long  preserved,  than  the  recent  haunt  of  naked 
savages.  There  were  deer  and  quail  in  abundance, 


-- 

EEZANOV  259 

'^4^0 
here  and  there  an  open  field  of  grain.  Long  beards 

of  pale  green  moss  waved  from  the  white  oaks, 
wild  flowers,  golden  red  and  pale  blue,  burst  un 
derfoot.  There  were  hedges  of  sweet  brier,  acres 
of  lupins,  purple  and  yellow.  Altogether  the  ideal 
estate  of  a  nobleman ;  and  Bezanov,  who  had  liked 
nothing  in  California  so  well,  gave  his  imagina 
tion  rein  and  saw  the  counterpart  of  the  castle  of 
his  ancestors  rise  in  the  deep  shade  of  the  trees. 

Don  Jose's  house  was  a  long  rambling  adobe, 
red  tiled,  with  many  bedrooms  and  one  immense 
hall.  Beyond  was  a  chapel  and  a  dozen  out-build 
ings.  Dinner  was  served  in  patriarchal  style  iri 
the  hall,  the  Comandante — or  El  Padrone  as  he 
was  known  here — and  his  guests  at  the  upper  end 
of  the  table;  below  the  salt,  the  vaqueros,  their 
wives  and  children,  and  the  humble  friar  who 
drove  them  to  prayer  night  and  morning.  The  friar 
wore  his  brown  robes,  the  vaqueros  their  black 
and  silver  and  red  in  honor  of  the  company,  their 
women  glaring  handkerchiefs  of  green  or  red  or 
yellow  about  their  necks,  even  pinned  back  and 
front  on  their  shapeless  garments;  and  affording 
a  fine  vegetable  garden  contrast  to  the  delicate 
flower  bed  surrounding  the  padrone. 

There  was  a  race  track  on  the  ranch  and  many 


260  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

fine  horses.  After  siesta  the  company  mounted 
fresh  steeds  and  rode  off  to  applaud  the  feats  of 
the  vaqueros,  who  not  content  with  climbing  the 
greased  pole,  wrenching  the  head  of  an  un 
fortunate  rooster  from  his  buried  body  as  they 
galloped  by,  submitting  the  tail  of  an  oiled  pig 
in  full  flight  to  the  same  indignity,  gave  when  these 
and  other  native  diversions  were  exhausted, 
such  exhibitions  of  riding  and  racing  as  have 
never  been  seen  out  of  California.  As  lithe  as 
willow  wands,  on  slender  horses  as  graceful  as 
themselves,  they  looked  like  meteors  springing 
through  space,  and  there  was  no  trick  of  the  circus 
they  did  not  know  by  instinct  and  translate  from 
gymnastics  into  poetry.  Even  Eezanov  shared 
the  excitement  of  the  shouting  clapping  Cali- 
fornians,  and  Concha  laughed  delightedly  when 
Ms  cap  waved  with  the  sombreros. 

"  I  think  you  will  make  a  good  Calif ornian  in 
time,"  she  said  as  they  rode  homeward. 

"  Perhaps, "  said  Eezanov  musingly.  His  eyes 
roved  over  the  magnificent  estate  and  at  the  mo 
ment  they  entered  a  portion  of  it  that  deepened 
to  woods,  so  dense  was  the  undergrowth,  so  thick 
the  oak  trees.  Here  there  was  but  a  glimpse,  now 
and  again,  of  the  mountains  swimming  in  the  dark 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  261 

blue  mist  of  the  late  afternoon,  the  moss  waved 
thickly  from  the  ancient  trees;  over  even  the 
higher  branches  of  many  rolled  a  cascade  of  small 
brittle  leaves,  with  the  tempting  opulence  of  its 
poisonous  sap.  The  path  was  very  abrupt,  cut 
where  the  immense  spreading  trees  permitted, 
and  Eezanov  and  Concha  had  no  difficulty  in  fall 
ing  away  from  the  chattering  excited  company. 

"  Tell  me  your  ultimate  plans,  Pedro  mio," 
said  Concha  softly.  ' '  You  are  dreaming  of  some 
thing  this  moment  beyond  corn  and  treaties." 

"  Do  you  want  that  final  proof!  "  he  asked, 
smiling.  "  Well,  if  I  could  not  trust  you  that 
would  be  the  end  of  everything,  and  I  know  that  I 
can.  I  have  long  regarded  California  as  an  ab 
solutely  necessary  field  of  supplies,  and  since  I 
have  come  here  I  will  frankly  say  that  could  I, 
as  the  representative  of  the  Tsar  in  all  this  part 
of  the  world,  make  it  practically  my  own,  I  should 
be  content  in  even  a  permanent  exile  from  St. 
Petersburg.  I  could  attract  an  immense  colony 
here  and  in  time  import  libraries  and  works  of 
art,  laying  the  foundation  of  a  great  and  im 
portant  city  on  that  fine  site  about  Yerba  Buena. 
But  now  that  these  kind  people  have  practically 
adopted  me  I  cannot  repay  their  hospitality  by 


262  K  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

any  overt  act  of  hostility.  I  must  be  content  either 
slowly  to  absorb  the  country,  in  which  case  I  shall 
see  no  great  result  in  my  lifetime,  or — and  for 
this  I  hope — what  with  the  mess  Bonaparte  is 
making  of  Europe  every  state  may  be  at  the 
others'  throat  before  long,  including  Kussia  and 
Spain.  At  all  events,  a  cause  for  rupture  would 
not  be  far  to  seek,  and  it  would  need  no  instiga 
tion  of  mine  to  despatch  a  fleet  to  these  shores. 
In  that  case  I  should  be  sent  with  it  to  take  pos 
session  in  the  name  of  the  Tsar,  and  to  deal 
with  these  simple,  kind — and  inefficient  people,  my 
dear  girl — as  no  other  Eussian  could.  They  can 
not  hold  this  country.  Spain  could  not — would 
not,  at  all  events,  for  she  has  not  troops  enough 
here  to  protect  a  territory  half  its  size — hold  it 
against  even  the  '  Americans, '  should  they  in  time 
feel  strong  enough  to  push  their  way  across  the 
western  wilderness.  It  is  the  destiny  of  this 
charming  Arcadia  to  disappear;  and  did  Eussia 
forego  an  opportunity  to  appropriate  a  domain 
that  offers  her  literally  everything  except  civiliza 
tion,  she  would  be  unworthy  of  her  place  among 
nations.  Moreover — a  beneficent  triumph  im 
possible  to  us  otherwise — with  a  powerful  and 
flourishing  colony  up  and  down  this  coast,  and 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  263 

sending  breadstuffs  regularly  to  our  other  posses 
sions  in  these  waters  until  the  natives,  immi 
grants,  and  exiles  were  healthy  vitalized  beings,  it 
would  be  but  a  question  of  a  few  years  before  we 
should  force  open  the  doors  of  China  and  Japan. ' ' 
He  caught  Concha  from  her  horse  and  strained 
her  to  him  in  the  mounting  ardor  of  his  plunge 
down  the  future.  "  You  must  resent  nothing!  ' 
he  cried.  "  You  must  cease  to  be  a  Spanish 
woman  when  you  become  my  wife,  and  help  me  as 
only  you  can  in  those  inevitable  years  I  have 
mapped  out;  and  not  so  much  for  myself  as  for 
Kussia.  My  enemies  have  sought  to  persuade 
three  sovereigns  that  I  am  a  visionary,  but  I  have 
already  accomplished  much  that  met  with  resent 
ment  and  ridicule  when  I  broached  it.  And  I  know 
my  powers!  I  tingle  with  the  knowledge  of  my 
ability  to  carry  to  a  conclusion  every  plan  I  have 
thought  worth  the  holding  when  the  ardor  of  con- 
ception  was  over.  I  swear  to  you  that  death  alone 
— and  I  believe  that  nothing  is  further  aloof — - 
shall  prevent  my  giving  this  country  to  iiussia 
before  five  years  have  passed,  and  within  another 
brief  span  the  trade  of  China  and  Japan.  It  is 
a  glorious  destiny  For  a  man,  one  man — to  pass 
into  history  as  the  Russian  of  his  century  that 


264  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

has  done  most  to  add  to  the  extent  and  the  wealth 
and  the  power  of  his  empire!  Does  that  sound 
vainglorious,  and  do  you  resent  it!  You  must 
not,  I  tell  you,  you  must  not !  ' 

Concha  had  never  seen  him  in  such  a  mood. 
Although  he  held  her  so  closely  that  the  horses 
were  angrily  biting  each  other,  she  felt  that  for 
once  there  was  nothing  personal  in  his  ardor. 
His  eyes  were  blazing,  but  they  stared  as  if  a 
great  and  prophetic  panorama  had  risen  in  this 
silent  wood,  where  the  long  faded  moss  hung  as 
motionless  as  if  by  those  quiet  waters  that  even 
the  most  ardent  must  cross  in  his  time.  She  felt 
his  heart  beat  as  she  had  felt  it  before  against  her 
soft  breast,  but  she  knew  that  if  he  thought  of 
her  at  all  it  was  but  as  a  part  of  himself,  not  as 
the  woman  he  impatiently  desired.  But  she  was 
sensible  of  no  resentment,  either  for  herself  or 
her  race,  which,  indeed,  she  knew  to  be  but  a  way 
farer  in  the  wilderness  engaged  in  a  brief  chimer 
ical  enterprise.  For  the  first  time  she  felt  her 
individuality  melt  into,  commingle  with  his;  and 
when  he  lowered  his  gaze,  still  with  that  intensity 
of  vision  piercing  the  future,  her  own  eyes  re 
flected  the  impersonalities  of  lis;  and  in  time  he 
saw  it. 


XXIV 

"  WE  should  all  wear  black  for  so  mournful  r.n 
occasion,"  said  Rafaella  Sal,  spreading  out  her 
scarlet  skirts. 

"  Father  Abella  is  right.  The  occasion  is  sad 
enough  without  giving  it  the  air  of  a  funeral. " 

"  Sad!  Dios  de  mi  alma!    Will  he  return?  " 

Elena  Castro  shook  her  wise  head.  She  was 
nearly  twenty,  and  four  years  of  matrimony  had 
made  her  skeptical  of  man 's  capacity  for  romance. 
i  i  Two  years  are  long,  and  he  will  see  many  girls, 
and  become  one  again  of  a  life  that  is  always  more 
brilliant  than  our  sun  in  May.  His  eyes  will  be 
dazzled,  his  mind  distracted,  full  to  the  brim.  To 
sit  at  table  with  the  Tsar,  to  talk  with  him  alone 
in  his  cabinet,  to  have  for  the  asking  audience  of 
the  Pope  of  Rome  and  the  King  of  Spain !  Ay  yi ! 
Ay  yi!  Perhaps  he  will  be  made  a  prince  when 
he  returns  to  St.  Petersburg  and  all  the  beautiful 
princesses  will  want  to  marry  him.  Can  he  re 
member  this  poor  little  California,  and  even  our 
lovely  Concha?  I  doubt!  Valgame  Dios,  I 
doubt!  " 


266  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

"  Concha  has  always  been  too  fortunate, "  said 
Bafaella  with  a  touch  of  spite,  for  years  of  waiting 
liad  tried  her  temper  and  the  sun  always  freckled 
her  nose.  The  flower  of  California  stood  on  the 
corridor  of  the  Mission  and  before  the  church 
awaiting  the  guest  of  honor  and  his  escort.  A 
mass  was  to  be  said  in  behalf  of  the  departing 
guests;  the  Juno  would  sail  with  the  turn  of  the 
afternoon  tide.  Men  and  women  were  in  their 
gayest  finery,  an  exotic  mass  of  color  against 
tne  rough  whitewashed  walls,  chattering  as 
vivaciously  as  if  the  burden  of  their  conver 
sation  were  not  regret  for  the  Chamberlain 
and  his  gay  young  lieutenants.  Concha,  alone, 
wore  no  color;  her  frock  was  white,  her  man 
tilla  black.  She  stood  somewhat  apart,  but 
although  she  was  pale  she  commanded  her 
eyes  to  dwell  absently  on  the  shifting  sand  far 
down  the  valley,  her  haughty  Spanish  profile  be 
traying  nothing  of  the  despair  in  her  soul. 

"  Yes,  Concha  has  always  been  too  fortunate," 
repeated  Eafaella.  "  Why  should  she  be  chosen 
for  such  a  destiny — to  go  to  the  Eussian  court 
and  wear  a  train  ten  yards  long  of  red  velvet 
embroidered  with  gold,  a  white  veil  spangled  with 
gold,  a  head-dress  a  foot  high  set  so  thick  with 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  267 

jewels  her  head  will  ache  for  a  week — Madre  de 
Dios !  And  we  stay  here  forever  with  white  walls, 
horsehair  furniture,  Baja  California  pearls  and 
three  silk  dresses  a  year !  ' 

"  No  one  in  all  Kussia  will  look  so  grand  in 
court  dress  as  our  Conchita,"  said  Elena  loyally. 
"  But  I  doubt  if  it  is  the  dress  and  the  state  she 
thinks  of  losing  to-day.  She  will  not  talk  even 
to  me  of  him—  Ay  yi !  she  grows  more  reserved 
every  day,  our  Concha ! — except  to  say  she  will  wed 
him  when  he  returns,  and  that  I  know,  for  did  not 
I  witness  the  betrothal  ?  She  only  mocks  me  when 
I  beg  her  to  tell  me  if  she  loves  him,  languishes, 
or  sings  a  bar  of  some  one  of  our  beautiful  songs 
with  ridiculous  words.  But  she  does.  She  did 
not  sleep  last  night.  Her  room  is  next  to  mine. 
No,  it  is  of  Eezanov  she  thinks,  and  always. 
Those  proud  silent  girls,  who  jest  when  others 
would  weep  and  use  many  words  and  must  die 
without  sympathy — they  have  tragedy  in  their 
souls,  ay  yi!  And  you  think  she  is  fortunate? 
True  she  is  beautiful,  she  is  La  Favorita,  she  re 
ceives  many  boxes  from  Mexico,  and  she  has  won 
the  love  of  this  Kussian.  But — I  have  not  dared 
to  remind  her — I  remembered  it  only  yesterday — 
she  came  into  this  world  on  the  thirteenth  of  a 


268  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

month,  and  he  into  her  life  but  one  day  before  the 
thirteenth  of  another — new  style!  True  some 
might  say  that  it  was  an  escape,  but  if  he  came  on 
the  twelfth,  it  was  on  the  thirteenth  she  began  to 
love  him — on  the  night  of  the  ball;  of  that  I  am 
sure." 

Eaf aella  shuddered  and  crossed  herself.  ' '  Poor 
Concha !  Perhaps  in  the  end  she  will  always  stand 
apart  like  that.  Truly  she  is  not  as  others.  I 
have  always  said  it.  Thanks  be  to  Mary  it  was 
Luis  that  wooed  me,  not  the  Eussian,  for  I  might 
have  been  tempted.  True  his  eyes  are  blue,  and 
only  the  black  could  win  my  heart.  But  the  court 
of  St.  Petersburg!  Dios  de  mi  vida!  Did  I  lie 
awake  at  night  and  think  of  Concha  Argiiello  in 
red  velvet  and  jewels  all  over,  I  should  hate  her. 
But  no — to-day — I  cannot.  Two  years!  Have  I 
not  waited  six?  It  is  eternity  when  one  loves  and 
is  young. ' ' 

11  They  come,"  said  Elena. 

The  cavalcade  was  descending  the  sand  hills  on 
the  left,  Eezanov  in  full  uniform  between  the  Co- 
mandante  and  Luis  Argiiello  and  followed  by  a 
picked  escort  of  officers  from  Presidio  and  Fort. 
The  Calif ornians  wore  full-dress  uniform  of  white 
and  scarlet,  Don  Jose,  a  blue  velvet  serape,  em 
broidered  in  gold  with  the  arms  of  Spain. 


KEZANOV  269 

As  they  dismounted  Bezanov  bowed  cere 
moniously  to  the  party  on  the  corridor,  and  they 
returned  his  salutation  gravely,  suddenly  silent. 
He  walked  directly  over  to  Concha. 

' i  We  will  go  in  together, ' '  he  said.  ' l  It  matters 
nothing  what  they  think.  I  kneel  beside  no  one 
else." 

And  Concha,  with  the  air  of  leading  an  honored 
guest  to  the  banquet,  turned  and  walked  with  him 
into  the  dark  little  church. 

<  <  Why  did  you  not  wear  a  white  mantilla  ?  "  he 
whispered.  "  I  do  not  like  that  black  thing." 

* i  I  am  not  a  bride.  I  knew  we  should  kneel  to 
gether — it  would  have  been  ridiculous.  And  I 
could  not  wear  a  colored  reboso  to-day. ' ' 

' '  I  should  have  liked  to  fancy  we  were  here  for 
our  nuptials.  Delusions  pass  but  are  none  the 
less  sweet  for  that." 

They  knelt  before  the  altar,  the  Comandante, 
Dona  Ignacia,  Luis,  Santiago,  Eafaella  Sal  and 
Elena  Castro  just  behind;  the  rest  of  the  party, 
their  bright  garments  shimmering  vaguely  in  the 
gloom,  as  they  listed ;  and  enough  fervent  prayers 
went  up  to  insure  the  health  and  safety  of  the 
departing  guests  for  all  their  lives. 

Rezanov,  who  had  much  on  his  mind,  stared 


270  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

moodily  at  the  altar  until  Concha,  who  had  bowed 
her  head  almost  to  her  knees,  finished  her  sup 
plication,  when  their  eyes  turned  and  met  simulta 
neously.  For  a  moment  their  brains  did  swim  in 
the  delusion  that  the  priest  with  his  uplifted  hands 
pronounced  benediction  upon  their  nuptials,  that 
probation  was  over  and  union  nigh.  But  Father 
Abella  dismissed  all  with  the  same  blessing,  and 
they  shivered  as  they  rose  and  walked  slowly  down 
the  church. 

Dona  Ignacia  took  her  husband's  arm,  and  mut 
tering  that  she  feared  a  chill,  hurried  the  others 
before  her.  The  priests  had  gone  to  the  sacristy. 
Before  they  reached  the  door  Eezanov  and  Concha 
were  alone. 

His  hands  fell  heavily  on  her  shoulders. 

61  Concha, "  he  said.  "  I  shall  come  back  if  I 
live.  I  make  no  foolish  vows,  so  idle  between  us. 
There  is  only  one  power  that  can  prevent  our 
marriage  in  this  church  not  later  than  two  years 
from  to-day.  And  although  I  am  in  the  very  ful 
ness  of  my  health  and  strength,  with  my  work 
but  begun,  and  all  my  happiness  in  the  future,  and 
even  to  a  less  sanguine  man  it  would  seem  that  his 
course  had  many  years  to  run,  still  have  I  seen  as 
much  as  any  man  of  the  inconsequence  of  life,  of 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  271 

the  insignificance  of  the  individual,  his  hopes,  am 
bitions,  happiness,  and  even  usefulness,  in  the 
complicated  machinery  of  natural  laws.  It  may 
be  that  I  shall  not  come  back.  But  I  wish  to  take 
with  me  your  promise  that  if  I  have  not  returned 
at  the  end  of  two  years  or  you  have  received  no 
reason  for  my  detention,  you  will  believe  that 
I  am  dead.  There  would  be  but  one  insupportable 
drop  in  the  bitterness  of  death,  the  doubt  of  your 
faith  in  my  word  and  my  love.  Are  you  too  much 
of  a  woman  to  curb  your  imagination  in  a  long 
unbroken  silence?  " 

"  I  have  learned  so  much  that  one  lesson  more 
is  no  tax  on  my  faith.  And  I  no  longer  live  in  a 
world  of  little  things.  I  promise  you  that  I  shall 
never  falter  nor  doubt. " 

He  bent  his  head  and  kissed  her  for  the  first 
time  without  passion,  but  solemnly,  as  had  their 
nuptials  indeed  been  accomplished,  and  the  greater 
mystery  of  spiritual  union  isolated  them  for  a 
moment  in  that  twilight  region  where  the  mortal 
part  did  not  enter. 

As  they  left  the  church  they  saw  that  all  the 
Indians  of  the  Mission  and  neighborhood,  in  a 
gala  of  color,  had  gathered  to  cheer  the  Eussians 
as  they  rode  away.  Concha  was  to  return  as 


272  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

she  had  come,  beside  the  carreta  of  her  mother, 
and  as  Eezanov  mounted  his  horse  she  stood 
staring  with  unseeing  eyes  on  the  brilliant 
animated  scene.  Suddenly  she  heard  a  sup 
pressed  sob,  and  felt  a  touch  on  her  skirt. 
She  looked  round  and  saw  Eosa,  kneeling  close  to 
the  church.  For  a  moment  she  continued  to  stare, 
hardly  comprehending,  in  the  intense  concentra 
tion  of  her  faculties,  that  tangible  beings,  other 
than  herself  and  Eezanov,  still  moved  on  the  earth. 
Then  her  mind  relaxed.  She  was  normal  in  a 
normal  world  once  more.  She  stooped  and  patted 
the  hands  clasping  her  skirts. 

' '  Poor  Eosa !  ' '  she  said.    '  <  Poor  Eosa !  '  ' 

Over  the  intense  green  of  islands  and  hills  were 
long  banners  of  yellow  and  purple  mist,  where  the 
wild  flowers  were  lifting  their  heads.  The  whole 
quivering  bay  was  as  green  as  the  land,  but  far 
away  the  mountains  of  the  east  were  pink.  Where 
there  was  a  patch  of  verdure  on  the  sand  hills  the 
warm  golden  red  of  the  poppy  flaunted  in  the  sun 
shine.  All  nature  was  in  gala  attire  like  the  Cali- 
fornians  themselves,  as  the  Juno  under  full  sail 
sped  through  "  The  Mouth  of  the  Gulf  of  the  Far- 
allones."  Fort  San  Joaquin  saluted  with  seven 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  273 

guns ;  the  Juno  returned  the  compliment  with  nine. 
The  Comandante,  his  family  and  guests,  stood 
on  the  hill  above  the  fort,  cheering,  waving  som 
breros  and  handkerchiefs.  Wind  and  tide  carried 
the  ship  rapidly  out  the  straits.  Rezanov  dropped 
the  cocked  hat  he  had  been  waving  and  raised  his 
field-glass.  Concha,  as  ever,  stood  a  little  apart. 
As  the  ship  grew  smaller  and  the  company  turned 
toward  the  Presidio,  she  advanced  to  the  edge  of 
the  bluff.  The  wind  lifted  her  loosened  mantilla, 
billowing  it  out  on  one  side,  and  as  she  stood  with 
her  hands  pressed  against  her  heart,  she  might, 
save  for  her  empty  arms,  have  been  the  eidolon  of 
the  Madonna  di  San  Sisto.  In  her  eyes  was  the 
same  expression  of  vague  arrested  horror  as  she 
looked  out  on  that  world  of  menacing  imperfec 
tions  the  blind  forces  of  nature  and  man  had 
created ;  her  body  was  instinct  with  the  same  ner 
vous  leashed  impotent  energy. 


XXV 

THE  white  rain  clouds,  rolling  as  ever  like  a  ner 
vous  intruder  over  the  great  snow  peaks  behind 
the  steep  hills  black  with  forest  that  rose  like  a 
wall  behind  the  little  settlement  of  Sitka,  parted 
for  a  moment  and  the  sun,  a  coy  disdainful  guest, 
flung  a  glittering  mist  over  what  Nature  had  in 
tended  to  be  one  of  the  most  enchanting  spots  on 
earth,  until,  in  a  fit  of  ill-temper — with  one  of  the 
gods,  no  doubt — she  gave  it  to  Niobe  as  a  per 
manent  outlet  for  her  discontent.  When  it  does  not 
rain  at  Sitka  it  pours,  and  when  once  in  a  way  she 
draws  a  deep  breath  of  respite  and  lifts  her  grand 
and  glorious  face  to  the  sun,  in  pathetic  gratitude 
for  dear  infrequent  favor,  comes  a  wild  flurry 
of  snow  or  a  close  white  fog  from  the  inland 
waters;  and  like  a  great  beauty  condemned  to 
wear  a  veil  through  life  she  can  but  stare  in  dumb 
resentment  through  the  folds,  consoling  herself 
with  the  knowledge  that  could  the  world  but  see 
it  must  surely  worship.  Perhaps,  who  knows? 
she  really  is  a  frozen  goddess,  condemned  to  the 
veil  for  infidelity  to  him  imprisoned  in  the  great 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  275 

volcano  across  the  sound — who  sends  up  a  col 
umn  of  light  once  in  a  way  to  dazzle  her  shrouded 
eyes,  and  failing  that  batters  her  with  rock  and 
stone  like  any  lover  of  the  slums.  One  day  he 
spat  forth  a  rock  like  a  small  hill,  and  big  enough 
to  dominate  the  strip  of  lowland  at  least,  standing 
out  on  the  edge  of  the  island  like  a  guard  at  the 
gates,  and  never  a  part  of  the  alien  surface.  Be 
tween  this  lofty  rock  and  the  forest  was  the  walled 
settlement  of  New  Archangel,  that  Baranhov,  the 
dauntless,  had  wrested  from  the  bloodthirsty 
Kolosh  but  a  short  time  since  and  purposed  to 
hold  in  the  interest  of  the  Russian- American  Com 
pany.  His  log  hut,  painted  like  the  other  buildings 
with  a  yellow  ochre  found  in  the  soil,  stood  on  the 
rock,  and  his  glass  swept  the  forest  as  often  as 
the  sea. 

As  Eezanov,  on  the  second  of  J*uly,  thirty-one 
days  after  leaving  San  Francisco,  sailed  into  the 
harbor  with  its  hundred  bits  of  volcanic  woodland 
weeping  as  ever,  he  gave  a  whimsical  sigh  in 
tribute  to  the  gay  and  ever-changing  beauties  of 
the  southern  land,  but  was  in  no  mood  for  senti 
mental  reminiscence.  Natives,  paddling  eagerly 
out  to  sea  in  their  bidarkas  to  be  the  first  to  bring 
in  good  news  or  bad,  had  given  him  a  report  cov- 


276  KEZANOV 

ering  the  period  of  his  absence  that  filled  him  with 
dismay.  There  had  been  deaths  from  scurvy ;  one 
of  the  largest  ships  belonging  to  the  Company 
had  been  wrecked  and  the  entire  cargo  lost;  of  a 
hunting  party  of  three  hundred  Aleuts  in  one  hun 
dred  and  forty  bidarkas,  which  had  gone  from 
Sitka  to  Kadiak  in  November  of  the  preceding 
year,  not  one  had  arrived  at  its  destination,  and 
there  was  reason  to  believe  that  all  had  been 
drowned  or  massacred;  and  the  Eussians  and 
Aleuts  at  Behring's  Bay  settlement  had  been  ex 
terminated  by  one  of  the  native  tribes. 

But  the  Juno  was  received  with  salvos  of  artil 
lery  from  the  fort,  and  cheered  by  the  entire  pop 
ulation  of  the  settlement,  crowded  on  the  beach. 
Baranhov,  looking  like  a  monkey  with  a  mummy's 
head  in  which  only  a  pair  of  incomparably  shrewd 
eyes  still  lived,  his  black  wig  fastened  on  his  bald 
red-fringed  pate  with  a  silk  handkerchief  tied 
under  his  chin,  stood,  hands  on  hips,  shaking  with 
excitement  and  delight.  The  bearded  long-haired 
priests,  in  full  canonicals  of  black  and  gold,  were 
beside  the  Chief-Manager,  ready  to  escort  the 
Chamberlain  to  the  chapel  at  the  head  of  the 
solitary  street,  where  the  bells  were  pealing  and  a 
mass  of  thanksgiving  was  to  be  said  for  his  safe 
return. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  277 

But  it  was  some  time  before  Eezanov  could 
reach  the  chapel  or  even  exchange  salutations  with 
Baranhov.  As  he  stepped  on  shore  he  was  sur 
rounded,  almost  hustled  by  the  shouting  crowd  of 
Russians — many  of  them  convicts — Aleuts  and 
Sitkans,  who  knelt  at  his  feet,  endeavored  to  kiss 
his  hand,  his  garments,  in  their  hysterical  grati 
tude  for  the  food  he  had  brought  them.  For  the 
first  time  he  felt  reconciled  to  his  departure  from 
California,  and  Concha 's  image  faded  as  he  looked 
at  the  tearful  faces  of  the  diseased  ill-nourished 
wretches  who  gave  their  mite  of  life  that  he  might 
live  as  became  a  great  noble  of  the  Eussian  Em 
pire.  But  although  he  tingled  with  pleasure  and 
was  deeply  moved,  he  by  no  means  swelled  with 
vanity,  for  he  was  far  too  clear-sighted  to  doubt 
he  had  done  more  than  his  duty,  or  that  his  duty 
was  more  than  begun.  He  made  them  a  little 
speech,  giving  his  word  they  should  be  properly 
fed  hereafter,  that  he  would  make  the  improve 
ment  of  their  condition  as  well  as  that  of  all  the 
employees  of  the  Company  throughout  this  vast 
chain  of  settlements  on  the  Pacific,  the  chief  con 
sideration  of  his  life;  and  they  believed  him  and 
followed  him  to  the  chapel  rejoicing,  reconciled 
for  once  to  their  lot. 


278  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

After  the  service  Rezanov  went  up  to  the  hut 
of  the  Chief-Manager,  a  habitation  that  leaked 
winter  and  summer,  and  was  equally  deficient  in 
light  ventilation  and  order.  But  Baranhov  in  the 
sixteen  years  of  his  exile  had  forgotten  the  bare 
lineaments  of  comfort,  and  devoted  his  days  to 
advancing  the  interests  of  the  Company,  his 
nights,  save  when  sleep  overcame  him,  to  pota 
tions  that  would  have  buried  an  ordinary  man 
under  Alaskan  snows  long  before.  But  Baranhov 
had  fourteen  years  more  of  good  service  in  him, 
and  rescued  the  Company  from  insolvency  again 
and  again,  nor  ever  played  into  the  hands  of 
marauding  foreigners;  with  brain  on  fire  he  was 
shrewder  than  the  soberest. 

He  listened  with  deep  satisfaction  to  the  Cham 
berlain's  account  of  his  success  with  the  Calif  or- 
nians  and  his  glowing  pictures  of  the  country, 
nodding  every  few  moments  with  emphatic  ap 
proval.  But  as  the  story  finished  his  wonderful 
eyes  were  two  bubbling  springs  of  humor,  and 
Eezanov,  who  knew  him  well,  recrossed  his  legs 
nervously. 

"  What  is  it?  "  he  asked.  "  What  have  I  done 
now?  Remember  that  you  have  been  in  this  bus 
iness  for  sixteen  years,  and  I  one " 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  279 

((  How  many  measures  of  corn  did  you  say 
you  had  brought,  Excellency?  ' 

"  Two  hundred  and  ninety-four, "  replied 
Eezanov  proudly. 

"  A  provision  that  exceeds  my  most  sanguine 
hopes.  The  only  thing  that  mitigates  my  satis 
faction  is  that  there  is  not  a  mill  in  the  settlement 
to  grind  it." 

Eezanov  sprang  to  his  feet  with  a  violent  ex 
clamation,  his  face  very  red.  There  was  no  one 
whose  good  opinion  he  valued  as  he  did  that  of 
this  brilliant,  dissipated,  disinterested  old  genius ; 
and  he  felt  like  a  schoolboy.  But  although  he 
started  for  the  door,  he  recovered  half-way,  and 
reseating  himself  joined  in  the  laughter  of  the 
little  man  who  was  rocking  back  and  forth  on  his 
bench,  his  weazened  leg  clasped  against  his 
shrunken  chest. 

"  How  on  earth  was  I  to  know  all  your  domes 
tic  arrangements ?  "he  said  testily.  ' '  God  knows 
I  found  them  limited  enough  last  winter,  but  it 
never  occurred  to  me  there  was  any  mysterious 
process  involved  in  converting  corn  into  meal.  Is 
it  quite  useless,  then?  ' 

"  Oh,  no,  we  can  boil  or  roast  it.  It  will  dispose 
of  what  teeth  we  have  left,  but  that  will  serve  the 


280  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

good  purpose  of  reminding  us  always  of  your  ex 
cellency's  interest  in  our  welfare." 

Rezanov  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  Give  the 
corn  to  the  natives.  It  is  farinaceous  at  all  events. 
And  you  can  have  nothing  to  say  against  the  flour 
I  have  brought,  and  the  peas,  beans,  tallow,  butter, 
barley,  salt,  and  salted  meats — in  all  to  the  value 
of  twenty-four  thousand  Spanish  dollars." 

The  Chief-Manager's  head  nodded  with  the 
vigor  and  rapidity  of  a  mechanical  toy.  "  It  is  a 
God-send,  a  God-send.  If  you  did  no  more  than 
that  you  would  have  earned  our  everlasting  grati 
tude.  It  will  make  us  over,  give  us  renewed  cour 
age  in  this  cursed  existence.  Are  you  not  going 
to  get  me  out  of  it!  " 

Eezanov  shook  his  head  with  a  smile.  ' t  Liter 
ally  you  are  the  whole  Company.  As  long  as  I 
live  here  you  stay — although  when  I  reach  St. 
Petersburg  I  shall  see  that  you  receive  every  pos 
sible  reward  and  honor. ' ' 

Baranhov  lifted  his  shoulders  to  his  ears  in 
quizzical  resignation.  "  I  suppose  it  matters  lit 
tle  where  the  last  few  years  left  me  are  spent, 
and  I  can  hang  the  medals  on  the  walls  to  console 
me  when  I  have  rheumatism,  and  shout  my  titles 
from  the  top  of  the  fort  when  the  Kolosh  are 
yelling  at  the  barricades. ' ' 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  281 

"  You  must  make  yourself  more  comf ortable, ' ' 
said  Rezanov  emphatically.  "  You  are  wrong  to 
carry  your  honesty  and  enthusiasm  to  the  point 
of  living  like  the  promuschleniki.  Take  enough  of 
their  time  to  build  you  a  comfortable  dwelling,  and 
I  will  send  you,  on  my  own  account,  far  more  sub 
stantial  rewards  than  orders  and  titles.  Build  a 
big  house,  for  that  matter.  I  shall  be  here  more 
or  less — when  I  am  not  in  California. ' ' '  And  he 
told  Baranhov  of  his  proposed  marriage  with  the 
daughter  of  Don  Jose  Argiiello. 

The  Chief -Manager  listened  to  this  confidence 
with  an  even  livelier  satisfaction  than  to  the  list 
of  the  Juno's  cargo. 

' i  We  shall  have  California  yet !  M  he  cried,  his 
eyes  snapping  like  live  coals  under  the  black 
thatch  of  wig.  "  Absorption  or  the  bayonet.  It 
matters  little.  Ten  years  from  now  and  we  will 
have  a  line  of  settlements  as  far  south  as  San 
Diego.  My  plan  was  to  feel  my  way  down  the 
northern  coast  of  California  with  a  colony,  which 
should  buy  a  tract  of  land  from  the  natives  and 
engage  immediately  in  otter  hunting — somewhere 
between  Cape  Mendocino  and  Drake's  Bay.  The 
Spanish  have  no  settlements  above  San  Francisco 
and  are  too  weak  to  drive  us  out.  They  would 


282  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

rage  and  bluster  and  do  nothing.  Then  quietly 
push  forward,  building  forts  and  ships.  But  you 
have  taken  hold  in  the  grand  manner  and  will 
accomplish  in  ten  years  what  would  have  taken 
me  fifty.  Marry  this  girl,  use  your  advantage 
over  the  entire  family — whose  influence  I  well 
know — and  that  great  personal  power  with  which 
the  Almighty  has  been  so  lavish,  and  you  will 
have  the  whole  weakly  garrisoned  country  under 
your  foot  before  they  know  where  they  are,  and 
the  Eussian  settlers  pouring  in.  Spain  cannot 
come  to  the  rescue  while  this  devil  Bonaparte  is 
alive,  and  he  is  young,  and  like  yourself  a  favorite 
of  destiny.  Those  damned  Bostonians  inherit  the 
grabbing  instincts  of  the  too  paternal  race  they 
have  just  rejected,  but  there  are  thousands  of 
miles  of  desert  between  California  and  their  own 
western  outposts,  hundreds  of  savage  tribes  to 
exterminate.  By  the  time  they  were  in  a  posi 
tion  to  attempt  the  occupation  of  California  we 
should  be  so  securely  entrenched  they  would  either 
let  us  alone  or  send  troops  that  would  be  half  dead 
by  the  time  they  reached  us.  As  to  ships,  we 
could  soon  build  enough  at  Okhotsk  and  Petro- 
paulovsky  for  our  purpose.  For  the  matter  of 
that,  if  your  gifted  tongue  impressed  the  Tsar 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  283 

with  the  riches  of  California  there  would  always 
be  war  ships  on  her  coast.'7  He  leaned  forward 
and  caught  the  strong  shoulders  above  him  in 
hands  that  looked  like  a  tangle  of  baked  nerves, 
and  shook  them  vigorously.  "  You  are  a  great 
boy !  ' '  he  said  with  a  sort  of  quizzical  solemnity. 
' '  A  great  boy.  This  damned,  God-forsaken,  pesti 
lential,  demoralizing,  brutalizing  factory  for  en 
riching  a  few  with  the  very  life  blood  and  vitals 
of  thousands  that  will  suffer  and  starve  and  never 
be  heard  of  '  (all  his  language  cannot  be  re 
corded),  "  will  make  two  or  three  reputations  by 
the  way.  Mine  will  be  one,  although  I  '11  get  noth 
ing  else.  Shelikov  is  safe;  but  you  will  have  a 
monument.  Well,  God  bless  you.  I  grudge  you 
nothing.  Not  even  the  happiness  you  deserve  and 
are  bound  to  have — for  when  all  is  said  and  done, 
Rezanov,  you  are  a  lucky  dog,  a  lucky  dog!  Any 
man  may  see  that,  even  when  these  infernal  snows 
have  left  him  with  but  half  an  eye.  To  quarrel 
with  a  destiny  like  yours  would  be  as  wise  as  to 
protest  because  California  is  warm  and  fertile, 
while  this  infernal  north  is  like  living  in  a  refrig 
erator  with  the  deluge  to  vary  the  monotony. 
Now  let  us  get  drunk !  ' ' 
But  Eezanov  laughingly  extricated  himself,  and 


284  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

sending  a  message  to  Davidov  and  Khostov  to 
come  to  him  immediately,  walked  toward  the  tent 
he  had  ordered  erected  on  the  edge  of  the  settle 
ment;  only  the  worst  of  weather  drove  him  in 
doors  in  these  half -civilized  communities. 

As  he  was  passing  the  chapel,  followed  again  by 
the  employees  of  the  Company,  to  whom  he  had 
granted  a  holiday,  he  suddenly  found  his  hand 
taken  possession  of,  and  looked  up  to  see  himself 
confronted  by  a  dissipated-looking  person  in  plain 
clothes.  His  hand  became  so  limp  that  it  was 
dropped  as  if  it  had  put  forth  a  sting,  and  he  nar 
rowed  his  eyes  and  demanded  with  a  bend  of  his 
mouth  that  brought  the  blood  to  the  face  of  the 
intruder  : 

"  And  who  are  you,  may  I  ask?  " 

The  man  threw  back  his  head  defiantly.  "  I  am 
Lieutenant  Sookin  of  the  Imperial  Navy  of  Eus- 
sia, ? '  he  said  in  a  loud  defiant  tone. 

"  And  I  am  Chamberlain  of  the  Eussian  Court 
and  Commander  of  all  America,"  replied  Eezanov 
coolly.  ' i  Now  go  to  your  quarters,  dress  yourself 
in  your  uniform,  and  present  your  report  to  me 
an  hour  hence." 

The  officer,  concentrating  in  his  injected  eyes 
all  the  lively  hatred  and  jealousy  of  his  service 


BEZANOV  285 

for  the  Russian- American  Company  in  this  region 
where  it  reigned  supreme  and  cared  no  more  for 
the  Admiralty  than  for  some  native  chieftain  cov 
ered  with  shells  and  war-paint,  glared  at  its  pleni 
potentiary  as  if  calling  upon  his  deeper  resources 
of  insolence ;  but  the  steady  contemptuous  gaze  of 
the  man  who  had  dealt  with  his  kind  often  and 
successfully  overcame  his  sodden  spirit  and  he 
turned  sulkily  and  slouched  off  to  his  quarters  to 
console  himself  with  more  brandy.  Bezanov 
shrugged  his  shoulders  and  went  on  to  his  tent. 
There  was  no  furniture  in  it  as  yet,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  receive  Davidov  and  Khostov  standing, 
but  this  he  preferred.  They  followed  him  almost 
immediately,  apprehensive  and  nervous,  and  be 
fore  speaking  he  looked  at  them  for  a  moment  with 
his  strong  penetrating  gaze.  He  well  knew  the 
power  of  his  own  personality,  and  that  it  was  im 
measurably  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  of  all  with 
whom  he  had  to  do  in  these  benighted  regions  his 
will  alone  was  never  weakened  by  liquor.  These 
young  men,  clever,  high-bred,  with  an  honorable 
record  not  only  in  Eussia  but  in  England  and 
America,  looked  upon  a  hilarious  night  as  the  just 
reward  of  work  well  done  by  day.  Brandy  was 
debited  to  their  account  by  the  "  bucket  "  (a 


286  K  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

bucket  being  a  trifle  less  than  two  gallons),  and 
they  found  little  fault  with  life.  But  it  gave  a  com 
manding  spirit  like  Rezanov  's  an  advantage  which 
they  did  not  underestimate  for  a  moment;  and 
they  alternately  hated  and  worshipped  him. 

11  I  think  you  have  an  inkling  of  what  I  am 
going  to  ask  you  to  do."  The  Chamberlain 
brought  out  the  euphemism  with  the  utmost  suav 
ity.  "  I  have  made  up  my  mind  not  to  leave  the 
indignity  to  which  Kussia  was  subjected  last  year 
by  Japan  without  such  punishment  as  it  is  in  my 
power  to  inflict  at  present.  It  was  my  intention 
to  build  a  flotilla  here,  but  owing  to  the  diseased 
condition  and  reduced  numbers  of  the  employees, 
that  was  impossible,  and  I  shall  be  obliged  to  con 
tent  myself  with  the  Juno  and  the  Avos,  whose 
keel,  as  you  know,  was  laid  in  November,  and  is 
no  doubt  finished  long  since.  These  I  shall  fit 
with  armaments  in  Okhotsk.  I  shall  place  the  en 
terprise  I  have  spoken  of  in  your  charge,  sailing 
with  you  from  Sitka  five  days  hence.  From  Ok 
hotsk  I  desire  that  you  proceed  to  the  Japanese 
settlements  in  the  lower  Kurile  Islands,  take  pos 
session  of  them  and  bring  all  stores  and  as  many 
of  the  inhabitants  as  the  vessels  will  accommodate, 
to  Sitka,  where  Baranhov  will  see  that  they  are 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  287 

comfortably  established  on  that  large  island  in 
the  harbor — which  we  shall  call  Japonsky — and 
converted  into  good  servants  of  the  Company. 
The  excuse  for  this  enterprise  is  that  those  islands 
were  formally  taken  possession  of  by  Shelikov; 
and  although  abandoned  later,  the  fact  remains 
that  the  Kussian  flag  was  the  first  to  float  over 
them.  The  stores  captured  may  not  be  worth 
much  and  the  islands  are  of  no  particular  use  to 
us,  but  it  is  wise  that  Japan  should  have  a  taste 
of  Russian  power;  and  the  consequences  may  be 
salutary  in  more  ways  than  one.  I  hope  you  will 
do  me  this  great  favor,  for  there  is  no  one  of  your 
tried  probity  and  skill  to  whom  I  can  trust  so 
delicate  an  enterprise.  I  am  doing  it  wholly  upon 
my  own  responsibility,  for  although  I  wrote  ten 
tatively  to  the  Tsar  on  this  subject  before  I  sailed 
for  California,  it  is  not  yet  time  for  a  reply. 
However,  I  take  the  consequences  upon  my  own 
shoulders.  You  shall  not  suffer  in  any  way,  for 
your  orders  are  to  obey  mine  while  you  remain 
in  these  waters." 

He  paused  a  moment,  and  then  suddenly  smiled 
into  the  unresponsive  faces  before  him.  He  held 
out  his  hand  and  shook  their  limp  ones  warmly. 

"  Let  me  thank  you  here  for  all  your  inesti- 


288  R  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

mable  services  in  the  past,  and  particularly  during 
our  late  hazardous  voyages.  Be  sure  that  whether 
you  succeed  in  this  enterprise  or  not,  your  re 
wards  shall  be  no  less  for  what  you  have  already 
done.  I  shall  make  it  a  personal  matter  with  the 
Tsar.  You  shall  have  promotion  and  a  substan 
tial  increase  in  pay,  besides  the  orders  and  Im 
perial  thanks  you  so  richly  deserve.  Lest  any 
thing  happen  to  me  on  my  homeward  journey,  I 
shall  write  to  St.  Petersburg  before  I  leave. ' ' 

The  lieutenants,  overcome  as  ever  when  he 
chose  to  put  forth  his  full  powers,  assured  him 
of  their  fidelity  and,  if  with  misgivings,  vowed  to 
mete  vengeance  to  the  Japanese.  And  although 
their  misgivings  were  not  unfounded,  and  they 
paid  a  high  price  in  suffering  and  mortification, 
they  accomplished  their  object  and  in  due  course 
received  the  rewards  the  Chamberlain  had  prom 
ised  them. 

They  did  not  retire,  and  Rezanov,  seeing  their 
sudden  hesitation  and  embarrassment,  felt  a  sud 
den  thrill  of  apprehension. 

' '  What  is  it  I  ' '  he  demanded.  <  <  What  has  hap 
pened?  " 

"  Life  has  moved  slowly  in  Sitka  during  your 
absence,  Excellency,"  replied  Davidov.  "  There 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  289 

has  been  little  work  done  on  the  Avos.    It  will  not 
be  finished  for  a  month  or  six  weeks. " 

Then,  had  the  young  men  been  possessed  by  a 
not  infrequent  mood,  they  would  have  glowed  with 
a  sense  of  just  satisfaction.  Eezanov  felt  himself 
turn  so  white  that  he  wheeled  about  and  left  the 
tent.  A  month  or  six  weeks !  And  the  speed  and 
safety  of  his  journey  across  Siberia  depended 
upon  his  making  the  greater  part  of  it  before  the 
heavy  autumn  rains  swelled  the  rivers  and  flooded 
the  swamps.  Winter  or  summer  the  journey  from 
Okhotsk  to  St.  Petersburg  might  be  made  in  four 
months;  with  the  wealth  and  influence  at  his 
command,  possibly  in  less;  but  in  the  deluge 
between  he  was  liable  to  detentions  lasting 
nearly  as  long  again,  to  say  nothing  of 
illness  caused  by  inevitable  exposure.  He  stood 
staring  at  the  palisades  for  many  minutes. 
The  separation  must  be  long  enough,  the  dangers 
numerous  enough  if  he  started  within  the  week, 
but  at  least  he  had  in  a  measure  accustomed  him 
self  to  the  idea  of  not  seeing  Concha  again  for 
"  the  best  part  of  two  years,"  and  the  sanguine- 
ness  of  his  temperament  had  led  him  to  hope  that 
the  time  might  be  reduced  to  eighteen  months.  If 
he  delayed  too  long,  only  by  means  of  an  unpre- 


290  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

cedented  run  of  good  fortune  would  he  reach  St. 
Petersburg  but  a  month  behind  his  calculations. 
And  the  chances  were  in  favor  of  four,  or  three 
at  the  best!  Never  since  the  morning  that  the 
real  nature  of  his  feeling  for  Concha  had  declared 
itself  had  he  yearned  toward  her  as  at  that  mo 
ment;  never  since  the  dictum  of  what  she  called 
their  "  tribunal  "  had  he  so  rebelled  against  the 
long  delay.  And  yet  he  hesitated.  To  leave 
Japan  unpunished  for  the  senseless  humiliations 
to  which  it  had  subjected  Eussia  in  his  person  was 
not  to  be  thought  of,  and  yet  did  he  leave  without 
seeing  the  Avos  finished,  the  two  boats  supplied 
with  armaments  at  Okhotsk,  and  under  way  be 
fore  he  started  across  Siberia,  he  knew  it  was 
doubtful  if  the  expedition  took  place  before  his 
return;  in  that  case  might  never  take  place,  for 
these  two  young  men  might  have  drifted  elsewhere, 
and  he  knew  of  no  one  else  to  whom  he  could  en 
trust  such  a  commission.  In  spite  of  their  idiosyn 
crasies  he  could  trust  them  implicitly — up  to  a 
certain  point.  That  point  involved  keeping  them 
in  sight  until  exactly  the  right  moment  and  leaving 
nothing  to  their  executive  which  could  be  cer 
tainly  accomplished  by  himself  alone.  Did  he 
sail  five  days  hence  on  the  Juno  one  of  the  officers 


EEZANOV  291 

would  be  exposed  for  an  indeterminate  time 
to  the  temptations  of  Okhotsk,  the  ship,  perhaps, 
at  the  mercy  of  some  sudden  requirement  of  the 
Company.  His  authority  was  absolute  when  en 
forced  in  person,  but  it  was  a  proverb  west  of  the 
Ural:  "  God  reigns  and  the  Tsar  is  far  away." 
If  the  Juno  were  wanted  the  manager  at  Okhotsk 
would  argue  that  two  years  was  a  period  in  which 
an  ardent  servant  of  the  Company  could  find  many 
an  excuse  to  justify  its  seizure. 

And  here  in  Sitka  it  was  doubtful  if  the  work 
on  the  Avos  proceeded  at  all.  Baranhov  was  not 
in  sympathy  with  the  enterprise  against  the  Jap 
anese,  fearing  the  consequences  to  himself  in  the 
event  of  the  Tsar's  disapproval,  and  resenting 
the  impressment  of  the  promuschleniki  into  a  ser 
vice  that  deprived  him  of  their  legitimate  work. 
Moreover,  although  he  loved  Rezanov  personally, 
he  had  enjoyed  supreme  power  in  the  wilderness 
too  long  not  to  chafe  under  even  the  temporary 
assumption  of  authority  by  his  high-handed 
superior.  With  the  best  of  intentions  Davidov 
could  make  little  headway  against  the  passive  re 
sistance  of  the  Chief-Manager,  and  those  inten 
tions  would  be  weakened  by  the  consolations  the 
Company  so  generously  afforded. 


292  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

The  result  was  hardly  open  to  doubt.  If  he  left 
Sitka  before  the  completion  of  the  Avos,  Eussia 
would  go  unavenged  for  the  present.  Or  himself? 
Eezanov,  sanguine  and  imaginative  as  he  was,  even 
to  the  point  of  creating  premises  to  rhyme  with 
ends,  was  very  honest  fundamentally.  He  turned 
abruptly  on  his  heel,  and  calling  to  the  officers  that 
he  would  announce  his  decision  on  the  morrow, 
ordered  the  sentry  to  open  the  gate  and  passed 
out  of  the  enclosure. 

He  crossed  the  clearing  and  entered  the  forest. 
The  warlike  tribes  themselves  had  trodden  paths 
through  the  dense  undergrowth  of  young  trees 
and  ferns.  Eezanov,  despite  Baranhov's  warning, 
had  tramped  the  forest  many  times.  It  was  the 
one  thing  that  reconciled  him  to  Sitka,  for  there 
are  few  woods  more  beautiful.  In  spite  or 
because  of  the  incessant  rains,  it  is  per 
vaded  by  a  rich  golden  gloom,  the  result  of  the 
constant  rotting  of  the  brown  and  yellow  bark, 
not  only  on  the  prostrate  trees,  but  of  the 
many  killed  by  crowding  and  unable  to  seek  the 
earth  with  the  natural  instinct  of  death.  And 
above,  the  green  of  hemlock  and  spruce  was  peren 
nially  fresh  and  young,  glistening  and  fragrant. 
Here  and  there  was  a  small  clearing  where  the 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  293 

clans  had  erected  their  ingenious  and  hideous 
totem  poles,  out  of  place  in  the  ancient  beauty  of 
the  wood. 

The  ferns  brushed  his  waist,  the  roar  of  the 
river  came  to  his  ears,  the  forest  had  never  looked 
more  primeval,  more  wooing  to  a  man  burdened 
with  civilization,  but  Kezanov  gave  it  less  heed 
than  usual,  although  he  had  turned  to  it  instinc 
tively.  He  was  occupied  with  a  question  to  which 
Nature  would  turn  an  aloof  disdainful  ear.  Was 
his  own  wounded  vanity  at  the  root  of  his  desire 
to  humiliate  Japan?  Russia  was  too  powerful, 
too  occupied,  for  the  present  at  least,  greatly  to 
care  that  her  overtures  and  presents  had  been 
scorned.  Upon  her  ambassador  had  fallen  the  full 
brunt  of  that  wearisome  and  incomparably  mor 
tifying  experience,  and  unfortunately  the  ambas 
sador  happened  to  be  one  of  the  proudest  and  most 
autocratic  men  in  her  empire.  No  man  of  Bez- 
anov  's  calibre  but  accommodates  that  sort  of  per 
sonal  vanity  that  tenaciously  resents  a  blow  to  the 
pride  of  which  it  is  a  part,  to  the  love  of  power  it 
feeds.  As  well  expect  a  lover  without  passion,  a 
state  without  corruption.  Eezanov  finally 
shrugged  his  shoulders  and  admitted  the  impeach 
ment,  but  at  the  same  time  he  recognized  that  tho 


294  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

desire  for  vengeance  still  held,  and  that  the  ten 
acity  of  his  nature,  a  tenacity  that  had  been  no 
mean  factor  in  the  remodelling  of  himself  from  a 
voluptuous  young  sprig  of  nobility  into  one  of  the 
most  successful  business  men  and  subjugators  of 
other  men  that  the  Eussian  Empire  could  show, 
was  not  likely  to  weaken  when  its  very  roots 
had  been  stiff  with  purpose  for  fifteen  months. 
Power  had  been  Bezanov 's  ruling  passion  for 
many  years  before  he  met  Concha  Argiiello,  and 
although  it  might  mate  very  comfortably  with 
love,  it  was  not  to  be  expected  that  it  would  re 
main  submerged  beyond  the  first  enthusiasm,  nor 
even  assume  the  position  of  the  "  party  of  the 
second  part."  Bezanov  was  Bezanov.  He  was 
also  in  that  interval  between  youth  and  age  when 
the  brain  rules  if  it  is  ever  to  rule  at  all.  That  the 
ardor  of  his  nature  had  awakened  refreshed  after 
a  long  sleep  was  but  just  proven,  as  well  as  the 
revival  of  his  early  ideals  and  capacity  for  gen 
uine  love;  but  the  complexities,  the  manifold  in 
terests  and  desires  of  the  ego  had  been  growing 
and  developing  these  many  years;  and  no  mere 
mortal  that  has  given  up  his  life  for  a  consider 
able  period  to  the  thirst  for  dominance  can  ever, 
save  in  a  brief  exaltation,  sacrifice  it  to  anything 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  295 

so  normal  as  the  demands  of  sex  and  spirit.  For 
good  or  ill,  the  man  who  has  burned  with  ambition, 
exulted  in  the  exercise  of  power,  bitterly  resented 
the  temporary  victories  of  rivals  and  enemies, 
fought  with  all  the  resources  of  brain  and  char 
acter  against  failure,  is  in  a  class  apart  from 
humanity  in  the  mass.  Eezanov  loved  Concha 
Argiiello  to  the  very  depths  of  his  soul,  but  he  had 
lived  beyond  the  time  when  even  she  could  engage 
successfully  with  the  ruthless  forces  that  had 
moulded  into  immutable  shape  the  Rezanov  she 
knew.  Her  place  was  second,  and  it  is  probable 
that  she  would  have  loved  him  less  had  it  been 
otherwise;  she,  in  spite  of  her  fine  intellect  and 
strong  will,  being  all  woman,  as  he,  despite  his- 
depth  of  intuition,  was  all  man.  Equality  is  pos 
sible  in  no  relation  or  condition  of  life.  When 
woman  subjugates  man  the  conquered  will  enjoy 
a  sense  of  revenge  proportionate  to  the  meanness 
of  his  state. 

It  is  possible  that  had  Concha  awaited  Bezanov 
in  St.  Petersburg  her  attraction  would  have  fo 
cused  his  desires  irresistibly;  but  his  mind  had 
resigned  itself  to  the  prospect  of  separation  for 
a  definite  period,  and  while  it  had  not  relegated 
her  image  to  the  background,  her  part  in  his  life 


296  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

had  been  settled  there  among  many  future  possi 
bilities,  and  all  the  foreground  was  crowded  with 
the  impatient  symbols  of  the  intervening  time. 
Moreover,  he  well  knew  that  the  savor  would  be 
gone  from  his  happiness  with  the  woman  were  the 
taste  of  another  failure  acrid  in  his  mouth. 

As  he  realized  that  the  die  was  cast,  the  san- 
guineness  of  his  temperament  rushed  to  do  battle 
against  apprehension  and  self-accusing.  After 
all,  he  was  rarely  balked  of  his  way,  accustomed  to 
ride  down  obstacles,  to  the  amiable  cooperation  of 
fate.  He  could  arrive  in  Okhotsk  late  in  Septem 
ber  or  early  in  October.  Captain  D'Wolf,  who 
had  been  detained  at  Sitka  during  his  absence  by 
the  same  indifference  that  had  operated  against 
the  completion  of  the  Avos,  would  precede  him 
and  order  that  all  be  in  readiness  at  Okhotsk  both 
for  the  ships  and  his  journey  to  Yakutsk.  He 
could  proceed  at  once;  and  no  doubt  with  twice 
the  number  of  horses  needed  would  make  the 
first  and  most  difficult  stage  of  the  journey  in 
the  usual  time,  and  with  no  great  embarrassment 
from  the  rains.  From  Yakutsk  to  Irkutsk  the 
greater  part  of  the  travel  was  by  water  in  any 
case,  and  after  that  the  land  was  flat  for  the  most 
part  and  bridges  were  more  numerous.  The  gov- 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  297 

ernor  of  every  town  in  Siberia  would  be  his  obse 
quious  servant,  the  entire  resources  of  the  country 
would  be  at  his  disposal.  He  was  sound  in  health 
again,  as  resistant  against  hardships  as  when  he 
had  sailed  from  Kronstadt.  And  God  knew,  he 
thought  with  a  sigh,  his  will  and  purpose  had 
never  been  stronger. 


XXVI 

EEZANOV  disembarked  from  the  Juno  at  Ok 
hotsk  during  the  first  days  of  October.  Had  it 
not  been  for  a  touch  of  fever  that  had  returned 
in  the  filth  and  warm  dampness  of  Sitka  he  would 
have  felt  almost  as  buoyant  in  mind  and  body  as 
in  those  days  when  California  had  gone  to  his 
head.  The  Juno  had  touched  at  Kadiak,  Oona- 
laska,  and  others  of  the  more  important  settle 
ments,  and  he  had  found  his  schools  and  libraries 
in  good  condition,  seals  and  otters  rapidly  in 
creasing  in  their  immunity  from  indiscriminate 
slaughter,  new  and  stronger  forts  threatening  the 
nefarious  Bostonian  and  Briton.  At  Okhotsk  he 
learned  that  the  embassy  of  Count  Golofkin  to 
China  had  failed  as  signally  as  his  own,  and  this 
alone  would  have  put  him  in  the  best  of  tempers 
even  had  he  not  found  his  armament  and  caravan 
awaiting  him,  facilitating  his  immediate  depart 
ure.  He  wrote  a  gay  letter  to  Concha  giving  her 
the  painful  story  of  the  naturalist  attached  to 
the  Golofkin  embassy,  Dr.  Eedovsky,  who  had  re 
mained  in  the  east  animated  by  the  same  scien- 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  299 

tific  enthusiasm  as  that  of  his  colleague,  the  good 
Langsdorff ;  parted  some  time  since  from  his  too 
exacting  master.  Eezanov  had  written  Concha 
many  letters  during  his  detention  in  Sitka,  and 
left  them  with  Baranhov  to  send  at  the  first  oppor 
tunity.  The  Chief-Manager,  deeply  interested  in 
the  romance  of  the  mighty  Chamberlain  with 
whom  he  alone  dared  to  take  a  liberty,  vowed  to 
guard  all  that  came  to  his  care  and  sooner  or  later 
to  send  them  to  California.  Eezanov  had  also 
written  comprehensively  to  the  Tsar  and  the  di 
rectors  of  the  Eussian-American  Company, 
adroitly  placing  his  marriage  in  the  light  of  a  dip 
lomatic  manoeuvre,  and  painting  California  in 
colors  the  more  vivid  and  enticing  for  the  sullen 
clouds  and  roaring  winds,  the  dripping  forests  and 
eternal  snows  of  that  unknown  corner  of  Earth 
where  he  had  been  stranded  so  long.  He  had  also, 
when  Langsdorff  announced  his  intention  to  start 
upon  a  difficult  journey  in  the  interest  of  science, 
provided  him  not  only  with  letters  of  recom 
mendation,  but  with  all  the  comforts  procurable 
in  a  land  where  the  word  comfort  was  the  stock 
in  trade  of  the  local  satirist.  But  Langsdorff, 
although  punctiliously  acknowledging  the  favors, 
never  quite  forgave  the  indifference  of  a  mere  am- 


300  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

bassador  and  chamberlain,  rejoicing  in  the  dig 
nity  of  an  honorary  membership  in  the  St. 
Petersburg  Academy  of  Sciences,  to  the  supreme 
division  of  natural  history. 

The  first  stage  of  the  journey — from  Okhotsk 
to  Yakutsk — was  about  six  hundred  and  fifty 
English  miles,  not  as  the  crow  flew,  but  over  the 
Stanovoi  mountains  in  a  southwesterly  direction 
to  the  Maya  river,  along  the  latter 's  wavering 
course  to  the  Youdoma,  then  northwest  to  the 
Aldan,  and  south  along  the  Lena.  The  beaten 
track  lay  entirely  alongside  the  rivers  at  this 
season,  upon  their  surface  in  winter;  and  besides 
these  great  streams  there  were  many  too  unim 
portant  for  the  map,  but  as  erratic  in  course  and 
as  irresistible  in  energy  after  the  first  rains  of 
autumn. 

Captain  D'Wolf  had  proved  himself  capable 
and  faithful,  and  a  caravan  of  forty  horses 
had  been  in  Okhotsk  a  week:  twenty  for  imme 
diate  use,  twenty  for  relief,  or  substitutes  in  al 
most  certain  emergency.  As  there  were  but  one 
or  two  stations  of  any  importance  between 
Okhotsk  and  Yakutsk,  and  as  a  week  might  pass 
without  the  shelter  of  so  much  as  a  hut,  it  was 
necessary  to  take  tents  and  bearskin  beds  for  the 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  301 

Chamberlain,  his  Cossack  guard,  valet-de-cham- 
bre,  cook  and  other  servants,  one  set  of  fine 
blankets  and  linen,  cooking  utensils,  axes,  arms, 
tinder-boxes,  provisions  for  the  entire  trip,  besides 
a  great  quantity  of  personal  luggage. 

Rezanov  lost  no  time.  He  had  changed  his  orig 
inal  plan  and  dispatched  Davidov  on  the  Avos 
from  Oonalaska.  Guns  and  provisions  awaited  the 
Juno  at  Okhotsk,  and  in  less  than  a  week  after  his 
arrival  Rezanov  was  able  to  start  on  his  long 
journey  with  a  mind  at  rest.  Although  the  almost 
extravagant  delight  that  his  body  had  taken  in  the 
comforts  of  his  manager's  home,  after  ten  weeks 
on  the  Juno,  warned  him  that  he  might  be  in  a 
better  condition  to  start  on  a  journey  of  ten  thou 
sand  versts,  he  hearkened  neither  to  the  hint 
nor  to  the  insistence  of  his  host.  His  impatient 
energy  and  stern  will,  combined  with  the  pas 
sionate  wish  to  accomplish  the  double  object 
of  his  journey,  returning  in  the  least  possible 
time  to  California  with  his  treaty  and  the  con 
sent  of  the  Pope  and  King  to  his  marriage, 
would  have  carried  him  out  of  Okhotsk  in 
forty-eight  hours  had  disease  declared  itself. 
Nor  were  there  any  inducements  aside  from  a  com 
fortable  bed  and  refined  fare,  in  the  flat  unhealthy. 


302  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

town  with  its  everlasting  rattle  of  chains,  and  the 
hideous  physiognomies  of  criminals  always  at 
work  to  the  rumbling  accompaniment  of  Cossack 
oaths. 

For  the  first  week  the  exercise  he  loved  best  and 
the  long  days  in  the  crisp  open  air  renewed  his 
vigor,  and  he  even  looked  forward  to  the  four 
months  of  what  was  then  the  severest  travelling 
in  the  world,  in  a  boyish  spirit  of  adventure.  He 
reflected  that  he  might  as  well  give  his  brain  a 
relief  from  the  constant  revolving  of  schemes  and 
plans  for  the  advancement  of  his  country,  his 
company,  and  himself,  and  let  his  thoughts  have 
their  carnival  of  anticipation  with  the  unparalleled 
happiness  and  success  that  awaited  him  in  the 
future.  There  was  no  possible  doubt  of  the 
acquiescence  and  assistance  of  the  Tsar,  and  no 
man  ever  looked  down  a  fairer  prospective  than 
he,  as  he  galloped  over  the  ugly  country,  often  far 
ahead  of  his  caravan,  splashing  through  bogs  and 
streams,  fording  rivers  without  ferries,  camping 
at  night  in  forests  so  dense  the  cold  never  escaped 
their  embrace,  muffled  to  the  eyes  in  furs  as  he 
made  his  way  past  valleys  whose  eternal  ice  fields 
chilled  the  country  for  miles  about;  sometimes 
able  to  procure  a  little  fresh  milk  and  butter, 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  303 

oftener  not;  occasionally  passing  a  caravan  re 
turning  for  furs,  generally  seeing  nothing  but  a 
stray  reindeer  for  hours  together,  once  meeting 
the  post  and  finding  much  for  himself  that  in  no 
wise  dampened  his  spirit. 

But  on  the  eighth  day  the  rains  began;  a  fine 
steady  mist,  then  in  torrents  as  endless.  Wrapped 
in  bearskins  at  night  within  the  shelter  of  a  tent 
or  of  some  wayside  hut,  and  closely  covered  by 
day,  Eezanov  at  first  merely  cursed  the  inconven 
ience  of  the  rain;  but  while  crossing  the  river 
Allach  Juni,  his  guides  without  consulting  him 
having  taken  him  miles  out  of  his  way  in  order  to 
avoid  the  hamlet  of  the  same  name  where  the  small 
pox  was  raging,  but  where  there  was  a  govern 
ment  ferry,  his  horse  lost  his  footing  in  the  rapid 
swollen  current  and  fell.  Eezanov  managed  to  re 
tain  his  seat,  and  pulled  the  frightened  plunging 
beast  to  its  feet  while  his  Cossacks  were  still 
shouting  their  consternation.  But  he  was  soaked 
to  the  skin,  his  personal  luggage  was  in  the 
same  condition,  and  they  did  not  reach  a  hut 
where  a  fire  could  be  made  until  nine  hours  later. 
It  was  then  that  the  seeds  of  malaria,  accumulated 
during  the  last  three  years  in  unsanitary  ports 
and  sown  deep  by  exceptional  hardships,  but 


304  EEZANOV 

which  he  believed  had  taken  themselves  off  during 
his  six  weeks  in  California,  stirred  more  vigor 
ously  than  in  Sitka  or  Okhotsk.  He  rode  on  the 
next  day  in  a  burning  fever.  Jon,  minding  Langs- 
dorfPs  instructions,  doctored  him — not  without 
difficulty — from  the  medicine  chest,  and  for  a  day 
or  two  the  fever  seemed  broken.  But  Jon,  sick 
with  apprehension,  implored  him  to  turn  back. 
He  might  as  well  have  implored  the  sky  to  turn 
blue. 

"  How  do  you  think  men  accomplish  things  in 
this  world?  "  asked  Rezanov  angrily,  "  By  turn 
ing  back  and  going  to  bed  every  time  they  have 
a  migraine?  " 

i '  No,  Excellency, ' '  said  the  man  humbly.  * '  But 
health  is  necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of 
everything,  and  if  the  body  is  eaten  up  with 
fever " 

11  What  are  drugs  for?  Give  me  the  whole 
damned  pharmacopeia  if  you  choose,  but  don't 
talk  to  me  about  turning  back." 

"  Very  well,  Excellency, ' '  said  the  man  with  a 
sigh. 

The  next  day  he  and  one  of  the  Cossack  guard 
caught  him  as  he  fell  from  his  horse  unconscious. 
A  Yakhut  hut,  miserable  as  it  was,  offered  in  the 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  305 

persistent  down-pour  a  better  shelter  than  the 
tent.  They  carried  him  into  it,  and  his  bedding 
at  least  was  almost  as  luxurious  as  had  he  been 
in  St.  Petersburg.  Jon,  at  his  wit's  end,  remem 
bered  the  practice  of  Langsdorff  in  similar  cases, 
and  used  the  lancet,  a  heroic  treatment  he  would 
never  have  accomplished  had  his  master  been  con 
scious.  The  fever  ebbed,  and  in  a  few  days 
'Kezanov  was  able  to  continue  the  journey  by 
shorter  stages,  although  heavy  with  an  intolerable 
lassitude.  But  his  will  sustained  him  until  he 
reached  Yakutsk,  not  at  the  end  of  twenty-two 
days,  but  of  thirty-three.  Here  he  succumbed  im 
mediately,  and  although  his  sick-bed  was  in  the 
comfortable  home  of  the  agent  of  the  Company, 
and  he  had  medical  attendance  of  a  sort,  his  fever 
and  convalescence  lasted  for  eight  weeks.  Then, 
in  spite  of  the  supplications  of  his  friends,  chief 
among  whom  was  his  faithful  Jon,  and  the  pro 
hibition  of  the  doctor,  he  began  the  second  stage 
of  his  journey. 

The  road  from  Yakutsk  to  Irkutsk,  some  two 
thousand  six  hundred  versts,  or  fifteen  hundred 
and  fifty  English  miles,  lay  for  the  most  part  al 
ternately  on  and  along  the  river  Lena  in  a  south 
easterly  direction ;  there  being  no  attempt  to  cross 


306  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

Siberia  at  any  point  in  a  straight  line.  By  this 
time  the  river  was  frozen,  and  the  only  concession 
Eezanov  would  make  to  his  enfeebled  frame  was 
an  arrangement  to  cover  the  entire  journey  by 
private  sledge  instead  of  employing  the  swifter 
course  of  post  sledge  on  the  long  stretches  and 
horseback  on  the  shorter  cuts. 

The  weather  was  now  intensely  cold,  the  river 
winding,  the  delays  many,  but  there  were  adequate 
stations  for  the  benefit  and  accommodation  of 
travellers  every  hundred  versts  or  less.  Eezanov 
felt  so  invigorated  by  the  long  hours  in  the  open 
after  the  barbarous  closeness  of  his  sick  room, 
that  at  the  end  of  a  fortnight  he  was  again  pos 
sessed  with  all  his  old  ardor  of  desire  to  reach  the 
end  of  his  journey.  He  vowed  he  was  well  again, 
abandoned  his  comfortable  sledge  and  pushed  on 
in  the  common  manner.  In  the  wretched  post 
sledges  he  was  often  exposed  to  the  full  violence 
of  a  Siberian  winter,  and  although  the  horseback 
exercise  stirred  his  blood  and  refreshed  him  for 
the  moment,  he  suffered  in  reaction  and  was 
several  times  forced  to  remain  two  nights  instead 
of  one  at  a  station.  But  he  was  muffled  in  sables 
to  his  very  eyes,  and  the  road  was  diverting, 
often  beautiful,  with  its  Gothic  mountains,  its 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  307 

white  plains  set  with  villages  and  farms,  high  thin 
crosses  above  the  open  or  swelling  domes  of  the 
little  churches.  Sometimes  the  Lena  narrowed 
until  its  frozen  surface  looked  like  a  mass  of  ice 
that  had  ground  its  way  between  perpendicular 
walls  or  overhanging  masses  of  rock  that  awaited 
the  next  convulsion  of  nature  to  close  the  pass  al 
together.  Then  the  dogs  trotted  past  caves  and 
grottos,  left  the  abrupt  and  craggy  banks,  crossed 
level  plains  once  more;  where  herds  of  cattle 
grazed  in  the  summer  time,  now  a  vast  uncheck- 
ered  expanse  of  white.  The  Government  and 
Company  agents  fawned  upon  him,  the  best  of 
horses  and  beds,  food  and  wine,  were  eagerly 
placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  favorite  of  the  Tsar. 
Bezanov's  spirit,  always  of  the  finest  temper,  suf 
fered  no  eclipse  for  many  days.  He  revelled  in 
the  belief  that  his  sorely  tried  body  was  regen 
erating  its  old  vigors. 

From  Wercholensk  to  Katschuk  the  journey 
was  so  winding  by  river  that  it  consumed  more 
than  twice  the  time  of  the  land  route,  which  al 
though  only  thirty  versts  in  extent  was  one  of  the 
most  difficult  in  Siberia.  Eezanov  chose  the  latter 
without  hesitation,  and  would  listen  to  no  dis 
suasion  from  the  Commissary  of  the  little  town  or 


308  BEZANOV 

from  his  distracted  Jon :  the  journey  from  Yakutsk 
had  now  lasted  five  weeks  and  the  servant 's  watch 
ful  eye  noted  signs  of  exhaustion. 

The  hills  were  very  high  and  very  steep,  the 
roads  but  a  name  in  summer.  Had  not  the  snow 
been  soft  and  thin  the  horses  could  not  have  made 
the  ascent  at  all;  and  as  it  was,  the  riders  were 
forced  to  walk  the  greater  part  of  the  way  and 
drag  their  unwilling  steeds  behind  them.  They 
were  twelve  hours  covering  the  thirty  versts,  and 
at  Katschuk  Bezanov  succumbed  for  two  days, 
while  Jon  scoured  the  country  in  search  of  a 
telega;  as  sometimes  happened  there  was  a  long 
stretch  of  country  without  snow,  and  sledges,  by 
far  the  most  comfortable  method  of  travel  in 
Siberia,  could  not  be  used.  The  rest  of  the 
journey,  but  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  versts, 
must  be  made  by  land.  Bezanov  admitted  that 
he  was  too  weary  to  ride,  and  refused  to  travel 
in  the  post  carriage.  On  the 'third  day  the  servant 
managed  to  hire  a  telega  from  a  superior  farmer 
and  they  started  immediately,  the  heavy  luggage 
having  been  consigned  to  a  merchant  vessel  at 
Yakutsk. 

Bezanov  stood  the  telega  exactly  half  a  day. 
Little  larger  than  an  arm-chair  and  far  lighter, 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  309 

it  was  drawn  by  horses  that  galloped  up  and  down, 
hill  and  across  the  intervening  valleys  with  no 
change  of  gait,  and  over  a  road  so  rough  that  the 
little  vehicle  seemed  to  be  propelled  by  a  succes 
sion  of  earthquakes.  Eezanov,  in  a  fever  which 
he  attributed  to  rage,  dismissed  the  telega  at  a 
village  and  awaited  the  coming  of  Jon,  who  fol 
lowed  on  horseback  with  the  personal  luggage. 

It  was  a  village  of  wooden  houses  built  in  the 
Eussian  fashion,  and  inhabited  by  a  dignified  tribe 
wearing  long  white  garments  bordered  with  fur. 
They  spoke  Eussian,  a  language  little  heard  far 
ther  north  and  east  in  Siberia,  and  when  Eezanov 
declined  their  hospitality  they  dispatched  a  cou 
rier  at  once  to  the  Governor-General  of  Irkutsk 
acquainting  him  with  the  condition  of  the  Cham 
berlain  and  of  his  imminent  arrival.  In  conse 
quence,  when  Eezanov  drew  rein  two  days  later 
and  looked  down  upon  the  city  of  Irkutsk  with  its 
pleasant  squares  and  great  stone  buildings  be 
side  the  shining  river,  the  gilded  domes  and 
crosses  of  its  thirty  churches  and  convents  glit 
tering  in  the  sun,  the  whole  picture  beckoning  to 
the  delirious  brain  of  the  traveller  like  some 
mirage  of  the  desert,  his  appearance  was  the 
signal  for  a  salute  from  the  fort;  and  the 


310  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

Governor-General,  privy  counsellor  and  senator 
de  Pestel,  accompanied  by  the  civil  governor,  the 
commandant,  and  the  archbishop,  and  with  a  mil 
itary  escort,  sallied  forth  and  led  the  guest,  with 
the  formality  of  officials  and  the  compassionate 
tenderness  of  men,  into  the  capital. 

For  three  weeks  longer  Eezanov  lay  in  the 
palace  of  the  Governor.  Between  fever  and  lassi 
tude  his  iron  will  seemed  alternately  to  melt  in 
the  fiery  furnace  of  his  body,  then,  a  cooling  but 
still  viscous  and  formless  mass,  sink  to  the  utmost 
depths  of  his  being.  But  here  he  had  the  best  of 
nursing  and  attendance,  rallied  finally  and  in 
sisted  upon  continuing  his  journey.  His  doctor 
made  the  less  demur  as  the  travelling  was  far 
smoother  now,  in  the  early  days  of  March,  than 
it  would  be  a  month  hence,  when  the  snow  was 
thinner  and  the  sledges  were  no  longer  possible. 
Nevertheless,  he  announced  his  intention  to  ac 
company  him  as  far  as  Krasnoiarsk,  where  the 
Chamberlain  could  lodge  in  the  house  of  the  prin 
cipal  magistrate  of  the  place,  Counsellor  Keller, 
and  be  able  to  command  fair  nursing  and  medical 
attendance;  and  to  this  Eezanov  indifferently  as 
sented. 

The  prospect  of  continuing  his  journey  and  the 


BEZANOV  311 

bustle  of  preparation  raised  the  spirits  of  the  in 
valid  and  gave  him  a  fictitious  energy.  He  had 
fought  depression  and  despair  in  all  his  conscious 
moments,  never  admitted  that  the  devastation  in 
his  body  was  mortal.  With  but  a  remnant  of  his 
former  superb  strength,  and  emaciated  beyond 
recognition,  he  attended  a  banquet  on  the  night 
preceding  his  departure,  and  on  the  following 
morning  stood  up  in  his  sledge  and  acknowledged 
the  God-speed  of  the  population  of  Irkutsk  as 
sembled  in  the  square  before  the  palace  of  the 
Governor.  All  his  life  he  had  excited  interest 
wherever  he  went,  but  never  to  such  a  degree  as 
on  that  last  journey  when  he  made  his  desperate 
fight  for  life  and  happiness. 


XXVII 

THE  snow  rarely  falls  in  Krasnoiarsk,*  It  is  a 
little  oasis  in  the  great  winter  desert  of  Siberia. 
Kezanov,  his  face  turned  to  the  window,  could  see 
the  red  banks  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 
The  sun  transformed  the  gilded  cupolas  and 
crosses  into  dazzling  points  of  light,  and  the  sky 
above  the  spires  and  towers,  the  stately  square 
and  narrow  dirty  streets  of  the  bustling  little  cap 
ital,  was  as  blue  and  unflecked  as  that  which 
arched  so  high  above  a  land  where  Castilian  roses 
grew,  and  one  woman  among  a  gay  and  thought 
less  people  dreamed,  with  all  the  passion  of  her 
splendid  youth,  of  the  man  to  whom  she 
had  pledged  an  eternal  troth.  Bezanov's  mind 
was  clear  in  those  last  moments,  but  something  of 
^the  serenity  and  the  selfishness  of  death  had  al 
ready  descended  upon  him.  He  heard  with  indif 
ference  the  sobs  of  Jon,  crouched  at  the  foot  of 
ihis  bed.  Tears  and  regrets  were  a  part  of  the 
general  futility  of  life,  insignificant  enough  at  the 
grand  threshold  of  death. 
v  No  doubt  that  his  great  schemes  would  die  with 


KEZANOV  313 

him,  and  were  he  remembered  at  all  it  would  be 
as  a  dreamer ;  or  as  a  failure  because  he  had  died 
before  accomplishing  what  his  brain  and  energy 
and  enthusiasm  alone  could  force  to  fruition. 
None  realized  better  than  he  the  paucity  of  initia 
tive  and  executive  among  the  characteristics  of 
the  Slav.  What  mattered  it?  He  had  had 
glimpses  more  than  once  of  the  apparently  illog 
ical  sequence  of  life,  the  vanity  of  human  effort, 
the  wanton  cruelty  of  Nature.  He  had  known  men 
struck  down  before  in  the  maturity  of  their  useful 
ness,  cities  destroyed  by  earthquake  or  hurricane 
in  the  fairest  and  most  promising  of  their  days: 
public  men,  priests,  parents,  children,  wantons, 
criminals,  blotted  out  with  equal  impartiality  by  a 
brutal  force  that  would  seem  to  have  but  a  casual 
use  for  the  life  she  flung  broadcast  on  her  planets. 
Man  was  the  helpless  victim  of  Nature,  a  calf  in  a 
tiger's  paws.  If  she  overlooked  him,  or  swept  him 
contemptuously  into  the  class  of  her  favorites, 
well  and  good;  otherwise  he  was  her  sport,  the 
plaything  of  her  idler  moments.  Those  that  cried 
"  But  why!  "  "  What  reason!  "  "  What  use?  " 
were  those  that  had  never  looked  over  the  walls 
of  their  ego  at  the  great  dramatic  moments  in  the 
career  of  Nature,  when  she  made  immortal  fame 
for  herself  at  the  expense  of  millions  of  pigmies. 


314  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

And  if  his  energies,  Ms  talents,  his  usefulness, 
were  held  of  no  account,  at  least  he  could  look 
back  upon  a  past  when  he  would  have  seemed  to 
be  one  of  the  few  supreme  favorites  of  the  forces 
that  shaped  man's  life  and  destiny.  Until  he  had 
started  from  Kronstadt  four  years  before  on  a 
voyage  that  had  humiliated  his  proud  spirit  more 
than  once,  and  undermined  as  splendid  a  physique 
as  ever  was  granted  to  even  a  Eussian,  he  had 
rolled  the  world  under  his  foot.  With  an  appear 
ance  and  personal  magnetism,  gifts  of  mind  and 
manner  and  character  that  would  have  com 
manded  attention  amidst  the  general  flaccidity  of 
his  race  and  conquered  life  without  the  great 
social  advantages  he  inherited,  he  had  enjoyed 
power  and  pleasure  to  a  degree  that  would 
have  spoiled  a  coarser  nature  long  since.  True, 
the  time  had  come  when  he  had  cared  little  for 
any  of  his  endowments  save  as  a  means  to  great 
ends,  when  all  his  energies  had  concentrated  in  the 
determination  to  live  a  life  of  the  highest  possible 
usefulness — without  which  man's  span  was  but 
existence — his  ambitions  cohered  and  been  driven 
steadily  toward  a  permanent  niche  in  history; 
then  paled  and  dissolved  for  an  hour  in  the  glo 
rious  vision  of  human  happiness. 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  315 

And  finally  as  he  might  realize  man's  insig 
nificance  among  the  blind  forces  of  nature,  he 
could  accept  it  philosophically  and  die  with  his 
soul  uncorroded  by  misanthropy,  that  final  and 
uncompromising  admission  of  failure.  The  mis 
anthrope  was  the  supreme  failure  of  life  because 
he  had  not  the  intelligence  to  realize,  or  could  not 
reconcile  himself  to,  the  incomplete  condition  of 
human  nature.  Man  was  made  up  of  little  qual 
ities,  and  aspirations  for  great  ones.  Many  yielded 
in  the  struggle  and  sank  into  impotent  discontent 
among  the  small  material  things  of  life,  instead  of 
uplifting  themselves  with  the  picture  of  the  inevi 
table  future  when  development  had  run  its  course, 
and  indulgently  pitying  the  children  of  his  own 
period  who  so  often  made  life  hateful  with  their 
greed,  selfishness,  snobbery — most  potent  obstacle 
to  human  endeavor — and  injustice.  The  bad  judg 
ment  of  the  mass!  How  many  careers  it  had 
balked,  if  not  ruined,  with  its  poor  ideals,  its  mean 
heroes,  its  instinctive  avoidance  of  superior  qual 
ities  foreign  to  itself,  its  contemptible  desire  to 
be  identified  with  a  fashion.  It  was  this  low  stand 
ard  of  the  crowd  that  induced  misanthropy  in 
many  otherwise  brave  spirits  who  lacked  the  in 
sight  to  discern  the  divine  spark  underneath,  the 


316  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

persistence,  sure  of  reward,  to  fight  their  way  to 
this  spark  and  reveal  it  to  the  gaze  of  astonished 
and  flattered  humanity.  Kezanov  's  very  arrogance 
had  led  him  to  regard  the  mass  of  mankind  as  but 
one  degree  removed  from  the  nursery;  his  good 
nature  and  philosophical  spirit  to  treat  them  with 
an  indulgence  that  kept  sourness  out  of  his  cyni 
cism  and  inevitably  recurring  weariness  and  dis 
gust;  his  ardent  imagination  had  consoled  itself 
with  the  vision  of  a  future  when  man  should  live 
in  a  world  made  reasonable  by  the  triumph  of 
ideals  that  now  lurked  half  ashamed  in  the  high 
spaces  of  the  human  mind. 

He  looked  back  in  wonder  at  the  moment  of  wild 
regret  and  protest — the  bitterer  in  its  silence- 
when  they  had  told  him  he  must  die ;  when  in  the 
last  rally  of  the  vital  forces  he  had  believed  his 
will  was  still  strong  enough  to  command  his  rav 
aged  body,  to  propel  his  brain,  still  teeming  with 
a  vast  and  complicated  future,  his  heart,  still 
warm  and  insistent  with  the  image  it  cherished, 
on  to  the  ultimates  of  ambition  and  love.  How 
brief  it  had  been,  that  last  cry  of  mortality,  with 
its  accompaniment  of  furious  wonder  at  his  un 
seemly  and  senseless  cutting  off.  In  the  adjust 
ment  and  readjustment  of  political  and  natural 


E  E  Z  A  N  0  V  317 

forces  the  world  ambled  on  philosophically,  ful 
filling  its  inevitable  destiny.  If  he  had  not  been 
beyond  humor  he  would  have  smiled  at  the  idea 
that  in  the  face  of  all  eternity  it  mattered  what 
nation  on  one  little  planet  eventually  possessed 
a  fragment  called  California.  To  him  that  fair 
land  was  empty  and  purposeless  save  for  one 
figure,  and  even  of  her  he  thought  with  the  ter 
rible  calm  of  dissolution.  During  these  last 
months  of  illness  and  isolation  he  had  been  less 
lonely  than  at  any  time  of  his  life  save  during 
those  few  weeks  in  California,  for  he  had  lived 
with  her  incessantly  in  spirit;  and  in  that  subtle 
imaginative  communion  had  pressed  close  to  a 
profound  and  complex  soul,  revealed  before  only 
in  flashes  to  a  vision  astray  in  the  confusion  of 
the  senses.  He  had  felt  that  her  response  to  his 
passion  was  far  more  vital  and  enduring  than 
dwelt  in  the  capacity  of  most  women;  he  had  ap 
preciated  her  gifts  of  mind,  her  piquant  various- 
ness  that  scotched  monotony,  the  admirable  char 
acteristics  that  would  give  a  man  repose  and 
content  in  his  leisure,  and  subtly  advance  his 
career.  But  in  those  long  reveries,  at  the  head 
of  his  forlorn  caravan  or  in  the  desolate  months 
of  convalescence,  he  had  arrived  at  an  absolute  un- 


318  E  E  Z  A  N  0  V 

derstanding  of  what  she  herself  had  divined  while 
half  comprehending.  Theirs  was  one  of  the  few 
immortal  loves  that  reveal  the  rarely  sounded 
deeps  of  the  soul  while  in  its  frail  tenement  on 
earth ;  and  he  harbored  not  a  doubt  that  their  love 
was  stronger  than  mortality  and  that  their 
ultimate  union  was  decreed.  Meanwhile  she 
would  suffer,  no  one  but  he  could  dream  how 
completely,  but  her  strong  soul  would  conquer, 
and  she  would  live  the  life  she  had  visioned 
in  moments  of  despair;  not  of  cloistered  selfish 
ness,  but  of  incomparable  usefulness  to  her 
little  world;  and  far  happier,  in  her  eternal 
youthfulness  of  heart,  in  that  divine  life  of 
the  imagination  where  he  must  always  be  with 
her  as  she  had  known  him  briefly  at  his  best,  than 
in  the  blunt  commonplaceness  of  daily  existence, 
the  routine  and  disillusionment  of  the  world.  Per 
haps — who  knew! — he  had,  after  all,  given  her  the 
best  that  man  can  offer  to  a  woman  of  exalted 
nature ;  instead  of  taking  again  with  his  left  hand 
what  his  right  had  bestowed;  completed  the 
great  gift  of  life  with  the  priceless  beacon  of 
death. 

How  unlike  was  life  to  the  old  Greek  tragedies ! 
He  recalled  his  prophetic  sense  of  impending  hap- 


K  E  Z  A  N  0  V  319 

piness,  success,  triumph,  as  be  entered  California, 
the  rejuvenescence  of  his  spirit  in  the  renewal  of 
his  wasted  forces  even  before  he  loved  the  woman. 
Every  event  of  the  past  year,  in  spite  of  the  ob 
stacles  that  mortal  must  expect,  had  marched  with 
his  ambitions  and  desires,  and  straight  toward  a 
future  that  would  have  given  him  the  most  coveted 
of  all  destinies,  a  station  in  history.  There  had  not 
been  a  hint  that  his  brain,  so  meaningly  and  con 
summately  equipped,  would  perish  in  the  ruins  of 
his  body  in  less  than  a  twelvemonth  from  that  fra 
grant  morning  when  he  had  entered  the  home  of 
Concha  Argiiello  tingling  with  a  pagan  joy  in 
mere  existence,  a  sudden  rush  of  desire  for  the 
keen  wild  happiness  of  youth— 

His  eyes  wandered  from  the  bright  cross  above 
the  little  cemetery  where  he  was  to  lie,  and  con 
tracted  with  an  expression  of  wonder.  Where 
had  Jon  found  Castilian  roses  in  this  barren  land? 
No  man  had  ever  been  more  blest  in  a  servant, 
but  could  even  he — here—  With  the  last  triumph 
of  will  over  matter  he  raised  his  head,  his  keen 
searching  gaze  noting  every  detail  of  the  room, 
bare  and  unlovely  save  for  its  altar  and  ikons,  its 
kneeling  priests  and  nuns.  His  eyes  expanded,  his 
nostrils  quivered.  As  he  sank  down  in  the  em- 


320  EEZANOV 

brace  of  that  final  delusion,  his  unconquerably 
sanguine  spirit  flared  high  before  a  vision  of  eter 
nal  and  unthinkable  happiness. 

So  died  Eezanov;  and  with  him  the  hope  of  Eus- 
sians  and  the  hindrance  of  Americans  in  the  west ; 
and  the  mortal  happiness  and  earthly  dross  of  the 
saintliest  of  California's  women. 


AUTHOEITIES. 

BANCROFT'S   HISTORY   OF   CALIFORNIA 
HITTELL'S   HISTORY   OF   CALIFORNIA 
BANCROFT'S   HISTORY   OF  ALASKA 

TIKHMENEV'S  HISTORICAL  REVIEW  OF  THE  ORIGIN  OF 
THE  RUSSIAN- AMERICAN  COMPANY 

REZANOV-ZAPISKY  CORRESPONDENCE 
LANGSDORFF'S   VOYAGES   AND   TRAVELS 
XRUSENSTERN'S   VOYAGE   ROUND   THE   WORLD 
RUSSIAN   ENCYCLOPEDIA 
(And  private  sources.) 

or  THE    ' 

UNIVERSITY 


ENGLISH  OPINIONS  OP  MRS.  ATHERTON' S  NOVELS. 

The  ablest  woman  writer  of  fiction  now  living. — Dr.  Robertson 
Nicoll  in  British  Weekly. 

Mrs.  Atherton  has  more  of  the  spontaneous  story-telling,  char 
acter-drawing  instinct,  in  combination  with  a  serious  and  witty 
philosophy  of  life  and  a  brilliant  literary  gift,  than  any  other 
English -writing  novelist,  man  or  woman,  with  the  exception  of 
George  Meredith  and  Thomas  Hardy.— The  Star. 

In  point  of  sheer  power  I  do  not  know  that  there  is  a  living 
.woman  novelist  who  comes  near  her. — The  Sketch. 

That  Mrs.  Atherton  is  one  cf  the  most  accomplished  novelists 
of  her  country  there  can  be  no  manner  of  doubt. — The  Standard. 

The  most  vigorous  of  all  our  women  novelists. — The  Echo. 

Perhaps  the  most  flattering  compliment  Mrs.  Atherton  has 
received  is  the  obvious  plagiarism  of  clever  English  authors. 
She  has  struck  out  telling  types  which  they  begin  to  borrow,  and 
they  go  to  her  books  for  the  models  from  which  they  study. — 
The  Times. 

The  general  conception  of  her  work  is  masterly  .  .  .  her 
style  has  rare  and  notable  virtues — a  fine  vocabulary,  rhythm, 
movement,  directness. — Manchester  Guardian. 

America  has  at  last  produced  a  first-rate  woman  novelist  in 
Gertrude  Atherton. — Saturday  Review. 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 

The  Conqueror 

A  Few  of  Hamilton's  Letters 

Rulers  of  Kings 

Senator  North. 

The  Aristocrats 

Patience  Sparhawk  and  her  Time? 

American  Wives  and  English  Husbands 

The  Californians 

A  Daughter  of  the  Vine 

A  Whirl  Asunder 

His  Fortunate  Grace 

Companion  volumes  to  Rezanov: 
The  Doomswoman 
The  Splendid  Idle  Forties 
The  Valiant  Runaways  (A  Book  for  Boysfc 


' 


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